The Other Way
by BML Hillen-Keene
Summary: A lot of things have changed after the defeat of the Dark Lord. Ron's about to find out how much. some slash, abuse, but not what you think. completed
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Not mine, wish it was, but not._

_A small warning. Ron may seem very out of character, but it will be explained in later chapters if someone reviews and says I should continue. This is set 6 years after Hogwarts and the war has been over for only about 3. It doesn't follow any particular timeline, but go along with me that the war kept up for three years after Hogwarts._

_**The Other Way**_

Of all the things I could have forgotten, it just had to be _that_! I was well aware I could have just come back in the morning to get it, but I just couldn't stay in my apartment without it. Silly, definitely, but it was the only thing I had to remind me of my family. I never usually took it out of the pouch on my belt, but I had been rolling it in my fingers while we had talked, and somehow I had left it in Harry's.

So I flooed back to his living room, the lights were out, there were sounds from the kitchen across the hall. Harry was probably cleaning up. Quietly, so I didn't disturb him, I padded into the room, glancing about for it. I spotted it immediately, partially hidden under a cushion. I pulled it out.

Percy's horn-rimmed glasses, only one lens was still in it, and it was cracked and bent. But it was the only thing of my brothers left. They had fallen from his face, the glass shattering on the floor as he had been lifted away. I had kept them, in the faint hope he would recover and I could give them back.

But no-

My hand tightened round them as a loud crash echoed from the kitchen. Automatically I headed over. I was a fully trained medi wizard, even if I did only specialise in trauma cases. I was halfway across the hall when I heard Harry's voice, and I froze. It was Harry's voice, but not like I had ever heard it before.

"Don't turn away from me! What did you mean by that? Huh? Don't you like it when I kiss you? Well you should! Stupid slut!"

There was a resounding slap, followed by a shower of crashes.

I pushed open the door, and stopped, shock whipped away all my thoughts save the one screaming_ 'what the hell is going on?'_ Harry hadn't noticed my arrival; he was far too intent on pulling the blond… person. I couldn't tell with the hair hanging over the face if it was a man or a woman. Harry was dragging the blond up. There was blood mingled in with the water and broken dishes on the floor.

"Clean this mess up you clumsy fuck!" Harry ground out, back handing the blond and letting go. The blond fell back into the broken dishes, pushed up shakily and started picking up the pieces.

My mouth worked silently at the sight, finally emitting a sound somewhere between a gasp and a squeak.

Harry turned and rested green eyes that were nothing like the ones I remembered from not more that twenty minutes ago, on me. "Hello Ron, what are you doing back?" he asked. I can't even describe what that voiced sounded like; it was pleasant, threatening, downright scary and _not_ Harry.

"I… I forgot these." I said, waving the glasses at him, then turned the conversation. "What's this Harry?" I didn't want to believe it, but I _had_ seen it, I couldn't ignore it.

Harry threw a disgusted look at the blond, who hadn't looked up from cleaning. "Just a dispute Ron. Just teaching him his place."

Well, at least I knew what the blond was now. I frowned at Harry. "'Teaching him his place'? Harry, what I just saw was… was… it wasn't something I'd ever expect from you!" I burst out, angry suddenly. I had to deal with people like the blond on a daily basis, finally seeking help after years of abuse. Not all of them at the hands of the Dark Lords followers. "Damnit Harry, how could you do something like this?"

"Go upstairs Draco." Harry ground out, glaring at me.

The blond got to his feet and he was halfway between me and Harry when I spoke up. "Don't." that was before my brain did a double take on the name Harry had used (well, I've never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed). The blond had stopped and I studied him. Platinum blond hair, matted with blood. And though I couldn't see his eyes I just knew that this was actually Draco- "Malfoy?" I asked, turning to Harry.

He laughed coldly. "Not so eager to defend him now are you. Get up stairs now!" he barked.

Malfoy flinched forward and came to the door. I watched him, waiting for the familiar rise of hatred I had had for him for years.

Nothing.

"No Harry." I said, still watching Malfoy, waiting for me to unblock the door so he could pass. He seemed so broken. "You're wrong, I would defend _anyone_ in his situation. The last person I ever expected this kind of thing from was you Harry. When you started going out with him years ago I was expecting it the other way round! And you kept him hidden, you never told us about him! Merlin Harry, I thought you'd broken up _four years ago_! What possessed you? Why Harry?" I just didn't understand, how could my best friend have turned into this… this…_monster_!

He stood there, looking at me like he had done nothing wrong. "You wouldn't understand." He said, his voice cold.

Malfoy shuddered.

My eyes narrowed. "Maybe I wouldn't. And you know what?" I spat at him-this wasn't my best friend anymore. "I don't care! You aren't Harry, your just some monster inside him." I reached out and caught Malfoys arm.

He flinched. His head shot up and I found myself staring into sunken, terrified grey eyes that were unnaturally bright in the grey tinged face. Black and purple bruises stood out sharply.

"Come on Malfoy." I said tightly, controlling my anger.

I was surprised when he allowed himself to be pulled back into the living room to the fireplace. But when I looked back at his eyes, it wasn't relief I saw, but resignation. I glared back at the person-I just couldn't think of it as Harry-who had done this. I saw too many eyes with that look.

He watched us, with a look that told me he was confident he could get out of this. I dropped some floo powder, and with one last glare at him we were at my apartment.

_Whatcha think?_

_Review please!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: don't own. Don't sue._

_To my first reviewer. Harry isn't exactly evil, but it is explained later, I promise. And I'm not sure if it will be Ron/Draco. It's still in the works. I'm seriously considering it though. But the plot will develop as plots do. Hope you enjoy this chappie._

_**The Other Way**_

I put the wards up quickly and disconnected my fireplace from the floo network, glad for once that I had an anti-apparation perimeter in place. I turned to Malfoy.

He was standing, head lowered, hands hanging limply by his sides, still. Waiting.

"Malfoy." I said softly. "Draco." My training was kicking in, they always responded better to their first names.

He just stood there, like a dummy.

I frowned. "Are you Ok Draco?" I asked (I know, a stupid question to ask someone who's just been beat up!)

He nodded.

I sighed. "I'll need to heal those cuts." I told him.

He held out his hands, wordlessly, without question. I pulled my wand out of my pocket. He flinched slightly when I reached it towards his hands. My anger grew again. No matter if this had been the same Malfoy who had made my life miserable at school, I had seen far too much during the war, and after, to wish this kind of torment on anyone. I had watched my sister die so slowly from it.

I shook my head from my thoughts. I hated revisiting them. I muttered a healing spell and the cuts closed. "I can't heal these yet. Policy. Photo's need to be taken of them." I said, referring to the bruises, I don't think he really understood me.

Malfoy did nothing, merely dropped his hands again.

I sighed. I could deal with this for tonight and hand him over to someone else from the unit tomorrow. "The guest room's over here." I said and made my way past my little kitchenette to the door on the left. I opened the door and stepped back.

Malfoy stopped. Waiting.

I frowned. "You can go in." I urged softly, wondering what he was waiting for.

He went inside and just stood, gazing at the bed. I watched him for a moment before closing the door over and going to my own room.

Needless to say I didn't sleep that night for wondering what I was going to do about Malfoy, and Harry.

The following morning I was up early, only to find Malfoy already up, sitting at the little table I had managed to squeeze into the kitchenette. "Good morning." I greeted him. "Are you feeling ok?"

He nodded in reply.

"You want some breakfast?"

He looked up at me, as if he was wondering if I meant it. And as I studied his sunken features it was obvious he hadn't eaten much in a long time.

He shrank slightly under by gaze after about a minute, dropped his eyes to the table top and shook his head.

I sighed, and I had a feeling I would be doing that a lot for a long while to come. I made him some, because I knew he wanted it, needed it. I sat a plate of toast down in front of him. "It'll make me feel better if I know you've eaten something."

Seeming to take this as permission he picked up a slice, blinked at it owlishly, looked across the table at me and took a bite.

I smiled.

After breakfast I reconnected my fireplace and we flooed to St. Mungos, left Malfoy with the other staff and hurried off. I still didn't know how I was going to explain that my best friend, who I would have vouched for to _never_ do anything like this, after all, he had been horribly mistreated by the durselys, had beaten up Draco Malfoy, the person I would have vouched to do all the things Harry had done. It just didn't make any sense. So I left him there and made my way up to the fifth floor, to the incurable ward.

I stepped off the elevator onto the ever so familiar ward, nodded to a few medi witches, I didn't have to let them know who I was here to see, they all knew me too well by now. I slipped to a secluded room and closed the door. He lay on the bed, in the same position he had lain in for the last 20 months. Still and pale. He looked so different asleep, without his glasses. I took the seat beside the bed and looked at him. My last brother in England.

Bill had been the first to go. Then dad died in a deatheater attack on the ministry. Mum hadn't lasted long after that. Then Fred was killed, George went mad after that, Charlie took him to live in Romania after the war, to get him away from the memories. Then Ginny had died, two years after she had been found, after that deatheater bastard had… and then there was Percy, he had stayed with me, and no matter what he was like, or how he acted towards us, he had always been my closest brother, and the stupid idiot had taken a spell meant for me in one of the last ditch efforts be the deatheaters to take control after the Dark Lords fall. Stupid! Stupid! But he had done it. And I loved him all the more for it.

But I wanted him to wake up, too look at me over his glasses and tell me to stop being so silly.

I talked to him, because it felt like the right thing to do, and it said in some book that if you talked to someone in his state it helped them come back, if they knew they were still loved and wanted. I told him about Malfoy and Harry, and about how I didn't know what to do about it. In my head I could hear his voice telling me that I should just tell the truth, get it over with, that if there was something wrong with Harry then proper help could be found and everything could turn out ok.

I shook my head and looked at him again, fingering his glasses and sighed. I would have to tell them about Harry, if Malfoy hadn't done so already. But then, Malfoy hadn't spoken at all since I had seen him. It made me wonder, had he been with Harry from they were going out, when Malfoy dropped out of sight I had assumed they had broken up, and Harry hadn't disagreed. That was what-four years? That is a hell of a long time to be in an abusive relationship, and it must have been bad if Malfoy didn't even… to me he didn't even seem to be alive, like he was running on autopilot.

"I gotta go Perce. I need to see what's going on with Malfoy. I'll be back tomorrow."

He didn't move. I always hoped he would do something, anything to acknowledge me. But there was nothing. I sighed again and made my way back down to the trauma unit.

"Ron!"

I had just opened the door when I was assaulted by little Cassandra, she was thirteen, and had been one of my first cases, she came in to help out sometimes, she liked to be needed, and after what her parents had done to her we let her. She was happier now that I had ever seen her. "Hey San, how are you?" I asked her, ruffling her hair with a smile.

She pulled away with a grin. "Ron!" she chided. "Who was that man you brought in, he looked awful hurt." She asked.

"I can't say San, you know that. But maybe you'll meet him." I told her with a smile.

She pouted, but bounced ahead of me, taking my hand and dragging me along behind her to the staff room where Gerard and Ruth were sitting. They waved me over. I went and took the empty seat beside them. Ruth was the head of the unit. "Hey, so?" I asked.

"Well we spoke to him, he's quiet unresponsive, and he doesn't speak at all. We've taken the pictures and he's all healed up. He'll need a lot of looking after until he's physically ok again, but mentally…" she trailed off and sighed, then focused her sharp blue eyes, that reminded me so much of McGonagall, on me. "Could you explain how he came to be in this state? As you were the one to bring him in." she asked.

I groaned inwardly but readied myself to say it. "I'm not really sure how he got into this shape. The last time I saw him was four years ago when he was dating a friend of mine. But, as I learned last night they had never broken up like I thought. And when I went back to look for something I found him… them… well… you saw the results." I sighed.

"Who was the perpetrator Ronald?" She asked.

"Harry Potter." I said softly.

Their eyes widened.

"Harry Potter?" Gerard squeaked out after a minute of working his mouth to form the words.

I nodded. "But it wasn't the Harry I knew. It was like something had taken him over. It just wasn't him." I defended, I didn't understand enough about this. I needed to understand more, but I was very sure that that person last night had not been Harry Potter.

"We'll need to find out from Malfoy." Ruth said with a shake of her head. "Ronald. It's your case."

I stared at her; pretty sure I looked like a fish with my mouth gaping open like it was. "I… you… what!" I stammered.

"It's your case Ronald. He's your age, you went to school together, you know him. You would have a better chance than we would of getting him to respond." Ruth told me.

I blinked. "But we hated each other in school!" I managed to get out.

"I think you have a better chance, just try a few sessions with him, and if that doesn't work we'll revaluate the situation. Now I need to speak with some people about getting Mr Potter in for questioning, and perhaps a psychological examination." She got up and left the room.

I gaped at Gerard who shrugged helplessly. "You heard the lady, go to it Ron. You'd best start right away. You know how she gets."

I heaved a huge sigh and got up. "What room is he in?"

"Fourteen." Gerard smiled.

I nodded in reply and left the staffroom and headed for room Fourteen. Dreading it every step of the way.

_R&R people thanks!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot._

_Thank you my reviewers. I love all this encouragement. Hope you enjoy the next chapter (don't get used to my updating so often, it won't last once the Easter holidays are over and I'm back to school-of to the days I had a laptop and didn't have to rely on library computers)_

_**The Other Way**_

I pushed open the door of room fourteen and looked at Malfoy, sitting listlessly on the bed. Gazing out the window. I watched him for a moment, waiting for him to notice me; I didn't want to shock him anymore than he already was. Finally he turned his head slightly, and shifted on the bed, away from me. He didn't trust me, it was obvious, and I didn't blame him. After all, I was the best friend of the man who had done this to him. I took the chair from the wall and carried it over.

Malfoy's eyes widened and he moved back quickly away from me.

I stopped and sat the chair down and sat in it, staring at him. What in the name of all that was magical had gone on in that house? "Draco." I tried softly.

He was still staring at me with wide eyes, and they pleaded with me to leave him alone, not to hurt him. Ginny had got that same look in her eyes when a door slammed anywhere near her. Begging to be spared. I swallowed at the feelings the memory stirred in me. I had a job to do. I hadn't been able to save Ginny, but I could maybe help Malfoy.

"Draco." I repeated softly. "It's ok; I'm not going to do anything. I'm going to try and help you. Alright?"

He didn't relax, but his head lowered, giving in.

"I need you to tell me what happened." I said quietly. You couldn't go demanding they tell you, they would just associate you with the person who had hurt them. Though to Malfoy, maybe I already was associated with Harry, after all, it had always been the two of us against him, Crabbe and Goyle. I sighed softly as I saw his shoulders tense more. "It's ok. I know what it was him beating on you. I know it wasn't your fault. But I need you to tell me what happened, when it started. Can you do that?" it wasn't that I thought he was stupid or anything, it was just when a victim was this cowed and broken you needed to draw everything out of them. I had never handled one myself before, but I had seen Ruth do it during my training.

He glanced up, and I thought I could detect a little hope in his eyes, that maybe I was going to listen to him. He nodded slowly after a minute. But he didn't speak.

I checked a groan. I had never really had the patience to deal with something like this, which was probably why I had never had a case like this before. Usually I got the ones who wanted to talk about what happened; after they had been reassured they weren't going to get hurt for it. I studied him thoughtfully, wondering where to begin.

"Ok, so… when you two were dating, when I knew you were dating. Did he ever hit you?" I asked.

He nodded.

"When? And why?" I asked, hoping to get some kind of vocal reply. Once I got him talking it shouldn't have been too hard to get the rest of the story.

There was silence for a minute, and I thought he wasn't going to answer when finally a raspy, unused voice floated over to me from him. It was so quiet I had to strain to hear him. "When we argued, he would h… hit me to make it stop." He shivered suddenly and clasped his hands in his lap and started at them.

"And later? When did it start to get worse than that?" I asked.

He swallowed hard and stayed quiet.

"Draco-" I began, about to reassure him that Harry couldn't get him here, but I must have moved towards him without realising because he flinched away abruptly.

"About four years ago!" he gasped out, gazing at me, terrified.

I moved back and frowned, I was beginning to piece together some of what had happened to make him react like this. He honestly didn't know how he was supposed to respond to me. If he didn't answer he got hit, if he did and the answer wasn't well received, or hadn't been wanted, he was hit. I admit, I didn't know what to do to calm him down. He regarded me as one of the enemy, even though I hadn't done anything to him.

While I tried to work out how to make him trust me I decided to keep questioning him. If I got enough information I could help him better. "Why did it get worse?" I asked calmly.

Malfoy glanced from me, to the door, to the window and back to me. At least I had gotten him to respond. "I want… wanted to l… leave h…him." He stammered out after a minute, cringing back slightly.

I nodded slightly. "He wouldn't let you." I stated needlessly.

He nodded.

"How did he get you to stay?" I asked. It wasn't unusual for the victim to stay for promises that it wouldn't happen again, only to become trapped when it got worse. But this was Malfoy. Nothing like that would have gotten him to stay. He wasn't the kind of person to fall for that. So how had he become the victim?

"He took my wand." He whispered.

I had to strain to hear him. So that was how. Without his wand Malfoy had no way to defend himself. "Is that all?" I asked.

He shook his head.

This was like trying to draw blood from a stone. "What else did he do?"

He blinked up at me, and I felt a shiver run through me at the lifelessness of those eyes. "He wouldn't let me out." He murmured.

I blinked back, that could mean so many things. Had Harry locked him up somewhere in the house until he couldn't stand it anymore and submitted to be let out. Had he been kept inside the house and grounds, no human contact. I didn't really want to think about it. I didn't want to believe Harry really capable of something like that. But the image of Malfoy clawing at the door to a room, begging to get out. Well it didn't seem impossible, no matter what I wanted to believe. But I needed to know.

"Where wouldn't he let you out of?" I asked.

The terror filled his eyes again, and to my complete shock and horror tears leaked from his eyes. His shivering grew worse. He pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his head in his arms, looking for all the world like a child. I wanted to go over there, to reassure him that everything would be ok, that he wouldn't be locked up like that again. But I didn't. because I didn't know how he would react, he didn't trust me, and if he reacted badly he would never trust me, and he wouldn't open up more, and I couldn't help him.

So I watched him cry softly until the shivering subsided and he went still. He was well aware that I was watching him. But he was waiting to see my reaction, waiting to see if I would reassure or scorn him. I frowned thoughtfully at him for a moment. "I think we should leave it at that for now." I said, watching his head rise slightly so he could see me from behind the tangle of blond hair. "Your safe here Draco. I'll come back to see you tomorrow. In the meantime, if you need anything just call Gerard or Cassandra, they'll help."

I got up, and his eyes followed me across the room to the door, I could feel them, fell the surprise in them. The surprise that I wasn't going to do what I had done as a child, make fun of him for showing me a side of him I had never thought possible. I turned at the door to face him. "You'll be ok Draco." I reassured him. Closing the door lightly as I left the room.

I felt a faint stab of something. Like guilt, when I left him there, but I did have other things to do. And he would be better looked after here. But for some reason that didn't ease my conscience on the matter. I sighed and headed for the nearest fireplace, I had to make a house call to see how Dominick and the children were doing, my other case at the moment. But my mind was focused on the blond in room fourteen of St. Mungo's Trauma unit for the rest of the day.

_Read and Review people. I love you all!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own it. Any of it. Aside from my own twisted plot._

_New chapter everybody. I do love being able to use the computer as late as I like when nobody's home but me. It's ever so much fun. So here's chapter 4, enjoy reading it folks as much as I enjoy writing it._

_**The Other Way**_

I was on call that night. It was rotated every two days, seeing as there were only three of us qualified to deal with any problems that might come up. Basically what that meant was that if there was ever a disturbance in the unit the one on call would be alerted and we had to get in and sort it out. It didn't happen often. We got maybe one disturbance a week. That was usually it.

So I really wasn't expecting to get called in, though I found myself wanting to go and check on Malfoy more than once, but I restrained myself. I really didn't under stand why I had the sudden urge. No… that was a lie. I did. I was guilty. I mean, it had been going on for four years, and I had never noticed. I had never asked after Malfoy, just been glad he was out of Harry's life. I had never noticed that Harry had stopped dating after that. That he always made excuses for us not to go upstairs.

Now that I actually thought back on it, there were things I should have noticed and looked into. But I hadn't. And now the most egotistical self absorbed prick I had ever met was terrified if I looked at him sideways. Yeah. I was guilty.

I sighed and poured myself out some more tea, taking it into my living room and sinking onto the sofa. Seeing Malfoy had brought it all back about Ginny, I wasn't sure why, there were other's I had worked with who had gone through something painfully similar, but it was Malfoy… or more importantly, his eyes that brought it all back. The fact that someone o knew, granted we had never gotten along, but I hadn't been able to stop that look creeping into his eyes. That lifeless look. I closed my eyes, hoping to push the thoughts away but they whirled in my head.

The day she had gone missing from school-how had they managed to get her out of Hogwarts, the damn place was supposed to be protected! Hearing nothing about her. Bill had become obsessed with finding her; he had always taken his older brother duties very seriously. He looked into everything. If it hadn't been for his notes we would never have found her. He had stayed alive just long enough to see her one last time. She never spoke of what happened. She barely spoke at all. But we all knew what had happened. She had been taken by a deatheater, and forced to marry him-of all things. She had been missing for such a long time, almost a year. When she came back to us she was pregnant, with that bastard's child.

She obsessed over that baby, until the day she killed it and herself. But it's always her eyes I will remember, lifeless, like she knew she had nothing to live for. They had haunted me since then, lifeless green eyes that had once held so much warmth and love. In my mind her green eyes were suddenly replaced by grey ones, that I remembered had always flashed with something, not warmth, passion. Malfoy had always been a passionate person, especially when he picked on us. And that terrified gaze wasn't him, and I didn't like that it wasn't him.

I rolled my head back, opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. What was I going to do?

Suddenly the alarm went off in the apartment, a blazing green and yellow. Unauthorised person in the unit. I was on my feet and to the fireplace in seconds and flooing to the unit. Sometimes (it had only happened twice to my knowledge) the abuser would try to get one of our patients back. It disrupted the whole unit. It sent some back into reclusion again and we had to bring them back out. I hated when that happened. The other two had been lucky I hadn't been the one to deal with them.

I reached the unit and glanced around, and with a sudden sickening jolt I knew who was here. The others were safe from harm. One wasn't. Because Harry hadn't been called in yet. I sprinted down to room fourteen, the door was open. I paused for a second at the door.

Harry had a firm grip on Malfoy's arm and had dragged him off the bed. Malfoy was on the floor, his arm twisted painfully as Harry pulled him forward. Harry saw me. "Hello Ron. I've come to get what's mine. Now would you kindly step aside." He smiled pleasantly.

I glared at him. "Let him go Harry." I ordered.

Harry laughed. "I don't have to Ron, he's mine, I can do what I want with him."

I pulled my wand out. "Let him go Harry."

He smiled at me, a knowing smile. He was a faster caster than I was. He could curse me every which way to Sunday before I could get one spell cast. He waved his hand airily and began muttering something.

I vaguely recognised the words, a transportation spell. If I didn't separate Malfoy from him quickly they would both be gone. I raised my wand and muttered my own spell and cast it on where Harry's hand held Malfoy and released it quickly. Harry pulled his hand away with a sudden growl, but the spell was finished, and he vanished. Leaving Malfoy to scramble back, cradling his arm. Staring at me through his hair.

I went to him quickly, ignoring his cringing. "Come on Draco, we have to get out of this room. In case he comes back. I need to call Ruth." I held out a hand.

He looked at it, then up to me, but he reached up tentively and grasped it. I pulled him up.

I left the room, feeling him following me. I hit the buttons that would set the alarms going in Ruth and Gerard's houses going. I looked around warily, half expecting Harry to turn up again. Surprisingly no one else was up, and I was glad all the room were soundproofed. Malfoy stood by the desk, still cradling his arm. I was just about to check it when Ruth suddenly came rushing in.

"What's the emergency?" she asked in a rush.

I nodded to Malfoy. "Harry came here to try and take him back." I told her quietly.

She looked thunderous. She spun as the doors opened again and Gerard stumbled in. "Gerard!" she snapped. "Get in touch with Judith; tell her she's to pick up Harry Potter as soon as possible."

Gerard nodded and turned and left to contact Judith. Judith was one the two Auror's who worked with our unit, the other was Colin Creevy, he had grown a lot from we were in school, and he did a good job.

Ruth turned to me. "Ronald. I think you should take Mr. Malfoy home with you tonight, until we can arrange better accommodation. Just in case Mr. Potter decides to return. I'll stay here and make sure everything's ok. Well, go on!" she snapped when I didn't move.

I was too shocked to move. She wanted me to take Malfoy home? I glanced at him, he was watching me. Finally I sighed and gave up trying to think of excuses not to. "Ok Ruth. Call me if anything happens."

"I will, now go." She turned to Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy, Ronald will take good care of you. And you will be staying in his care for only a short time. For your own protection."

Malfoy never took his eyes off me. Finally he nodded his understanding.

"Come on then. The fireplace is this way." I said. Turning and heading for the nearest fireplace. Malfoy following. I just knew this whole thing was going to get worse before it got better. And how was I supposed to look after Malfoy, Merlin only knew how long it would take Judith and Colin to find Harry if he didn't want to be found. I glanced back at him, meeting his grey eyes again, and I remembered Ginny.

I had to do this. For her.

_Review. Please. I love to hear from you._


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own it._

_Right. Sorry for the delay folks. But I'm back. On a library computer no less. My home one broke. Right I have a choice for you, as my audience. Do you want a Ron/Draco slash or just a friendship. I'm leaning towards slash myself. But its up to you I can go either way._

_Have fun reading and don't forget to review._

_**The Other Way**_

I woke the next morning to the smell of bacon. I frowned, pushed off the quilt and staggered down to the kitchenette, wondering what the hell Malfoy was playing at-did he not sleep at all?

I stared at the plate of toast and eggs on the table. Malfoy was standing by the cooker, poking the bacon around with a fork. "What's this?" I asked.

Malfoy started, nearly scalding himself with the bacon grease when the pan moved too fast. He turned, lifting the pan off and putting the bacon onto the plate. He didn't answer me. But at least he didn't seem to think I would hurt him anymore.

A definite step up.

He sat down, and waited for me to sit and eat, it was like he was saying "Thank you" without the words. I took the seat in front of the plate.

"Your not hungry?" I asked

He shook his head slowly.

"Yes you are." I told him. He looked up at me, startled, like I had just seen through his entire charade. "Look, grab a plate and take some of this."

He did as I asked and I scraped half the food onto it before eating mine. He ate it slowly, pickily. "Why won't you just tell the truth when I ask if your hungry? Did ha… he hit you if you did?" I asked.

Malfoy shook his head.

"Then why?"

He stayed silent and unmoving for a moment. Then he shrugged.

That struck me for a moment. It was the first time he had ever done it, and he didn't seem afraid of my reaction. I felt a stab of relief. I was making progress. "So your just a fussy eater then?" I continued after a heartbeat. "I suppose it's to be expected, what with you coming from a family who probably ate caviar for breakfast."

He was looking at me with a tiny frown, which disappeared and his head dropped when he saw I was watching.

There was a tapping at the window, I glanced over. An owl was hovering outside. I crossed the room to the window and let it in. it dropped a letter in my hands and flew over to Malfoy and ate his breakfast inside of him.

I ripped open the letter, but my attention was on Malfoy and that look of sadness that had washed over his face when he looked at the owl. I opened the parchment, read it quickly, and gasped. Startling Malfoy if the way the chair scraped across the floor was an indication. They'd found Harry-already-he was at St. Mungo's and he apparently didn't remember last night at all.

I looked over at Malfoy.

He was watching me carefully.

"They found Harry." I told him.

He looked down; his eyes went dull, lifeless, resigned.

Damn I hated that look! "It's ok; we won't make you go back to him. You don't even need to see him unless you want to. We're on your side Draco. Do you understand?"

He nodded, more because he felt he had to than he actually believed. I sighed to myself. "I'll take you back to the unit. Ruth will want to speak to you about last night."

He nodded again.

I finished my breakfast quickly and we flooed to the unit. I found Ruth quickly and pulled her aside.

"What's happening with Harry?" I asked her quietly.

"He's up getting a psychological examination done. He claims not to remember last night." She shook her head. "It doesn't make sense, but the results should be in fairly soon."

"I think I should go up."

"That wouldn't be a good idea Ronald." She warned.

"I need to know what's going on with him." I persisted.

"Ronald." She said pleasantly, sounding suspiciously like my mother had. "You can't get over involved. You know that."

"Damnit Ruth, I'm involved up to my neck because Harry is my friend and I need to know what's going on. The person who did that to Malfoy wasn't my best friend and I need to know what happened."

"You have a conflict of interests." Ruth sighed.

"Hell yeah I do!" I snapped. "Maybe you should hand Malfoy to Gerard, because this is going to get bloody stressful for me."

"Ronald, look at him."

I turned and looked at Malfoy and sighed. He had secluded himself beside the desk, ignoring all attempts at conversation. His eyes rose slowly to meet mine and fell away just as quickly.

"He doesn't want anybody else to help him Ronald. He doesn't trust anybody else. I doubt he'd let Gerard near him. You 'saved' him twice from Mr. Potter, which lets him know you're on his side."

"He doesn't act like it most of the time-all of the time. Damnit Ruth. We fought every time we saw each other in school." I sighed again. I wasn't going to win this argument. Sure, I wanted to help Malfoy, but I couldn't, not really. I was the best friend of the man who's done this. I didn't know why he didn't just run screaming every time he saw me.

"Ronald, I know this will be hard. But I think it's important you stay with him on this."

I sighed _again_-It was really starting to irritate me that sound. "Fine-I'll keep him on, but it mightn't help."

She nodded. "I'm not saying don't go and see Mr. Potter, just be aware that for the moment Mr. Malfoy is your first priority."

I nodded. "Fine. But I still want to know what's wrong with Harry."

Ruth smiled. "Go on then. We'll get him set up in another room."

I smiled my thanks and made my way out. I could feel Malfoys eyes on me the whole way. Then I was in the halls and heading for the psychiatric ward.

_Review everybody!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I don't own it._

_We get to find out what's wrong with Harry in this one folks. Aren't you so looking forward to it! Anyway. Here it is. I hope it meets with your expectations-or doesn't as the case may be._

_**The Other Way**_

I knew the psychiatric ward. This was where George had been for months after Fred's death, kicking and screaming. It had been the most frightening experience of my life, after seeing Percy take that spell for me. I didn't like this ward-sure, they were here to help as much as our unit was, but it was different here. In our unit there were problems we could deal with. Here, well, some people just couldn't be helped. Like George. He still wasn't better, but taking him out of England had helped.

"Hi." I said to the medi witch behind the admissions desk. "I'm here for Harry Potter."

"Fourth door on your right." She smiled.

"Thanks." I made my way to the door, but I never got a chance to go in. a medi wizard stepped out, frowned at me, then smiled.

"Yes?"

"Hi, I'm here for Harry Potter." I told him.

"Mr. Potter is speaking to a specialist right now. I'll tell him you were here, he won't be having visitors I'm afraid. Your name?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry. Ronald Weasely."

"From the trauma unit?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I didn't know they were sending someone down. I was just about to send up the analysis to you."

I shrugged. "I actually came down to see Harry, but I can take the notes up if I can't see him. Could you maybe explain what's wrong with him?" I was pushing the line here, but these psychiatrists never made any sense when they wrote things down.

He took my arm and led me to their staff room and ushered me to a seat. "Actually, there's a few peculiarities, perhaps you could help me, as you seem to know the patient. Mr. Potter has…. Well, for lack of a better way to describe it-he craves complete control over something. We feel that the thing just happened to be your victim. But the interesting thing is, that Mr. Potter had developed a complete other personality for this controlling urge. He actually cannot remember." He gave me a long look. "Has Mr. Potter normally had control in his life?"

I blinked at the question. "What-oh-no, not really. Harry's always had all these things thrown at him-like being the boy who lived, the slayer of the dark lord. He never really had the chance to say no."

"Ah yes, we do tend to forget that our hero's might not want to be."

"But what made him so… so physically abusive?" The Harry I know isn't like that."

"The only reason someone with a controlling personality will get violent is when the person or thing they are controlling doesn't act accordingly."

I nodded, it made sense. "Draco was always strong willed, he never stood for anything like that, he would have fought it all the way." It explained a lot as well, it had to have taken some amount of damage to make Draco Malfoy that submissive.

"But." The man said, drawing my attention back to him. "Mr. Potter's primary personality, your Harry Potter, obviously dislikes this kind of thing. He pushed it back, pretended it wasn't happening, pretending it would go away and because of this he developed a secondary personality. The one who would do all the things he didn't like. Then he could forget it-it was someone else, and move on with his life. So to your Harry Potter, after the first few times, there was no abuse going on, and as your victim became easier to control the secondary personality receded slightly. But it is not uncommon for the secondary personality to re-emerge because it enjoys what it does so much."

So Draco's inability to react, or his certain reactions to things came from not knowing which side of Harry he was dealing with. "So what you're saying is that on minute Harry could be nice and kind, and the next he could be beating the living hell out of someone?"

"Crudely put, Mr. Weasely, but yes, basically that's it."

I took the file and left the ward, my head spinning. So technically Harry and victimised and controlled Draco through whatever means he thought he should. But it wasn't Harry, not really, just the really sadistic and violent part of him.

Merlin I didn't know what to do.

I decided that visiting Percy would probably help, it always did. Just being near him always made me sure things would work out ok. I don't know why, maybe it was because he had always been so sure of everything.

Yes, visiting Percy was a very good idea.#

_Read and Review folks. I love ya all!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I don't own it._

_In response to your queries. Did I give you the impression Ron was going to forgive Harry? I can't remember and I can't tell if I did. Just to let you know. I don't like Harry; I've never liked his character. He is not getting off easy. Believe me. There is still a lot more to come people. I hope that help's you out. Enjoy. You know I love you all for your nice reviews._

_**The Other Way**_

The rest of that day passed in a blur to me. I had visited Percy, explained everything the psychiatrist had told me to Ruth. I can vaguely remember telling Draco to eat around lunch time and getting him set up in his new room before Ruth told me to go home.

So home I went. I fell asleep almost immediately; my brain must have tired itself out trying to make sense of everything, of wondering why I hadn't seen it. Why he hadn't come to me if he felt that way. I could have tried to help him.

But Harry had always done things by himself, if you wanted to help him you had to push your way in. it was one of those things that was so infuriating about him.

I briefly wondered, through all this, when the Daily Prophet would get hold of the story, and what they would print.

The following morning I was up, dressed and in work early. Somewhere in my dreams I had made my decision. Yes, Harry was my friend, but for the moment Draco was my number one priority. I was going to help banish that lifeless look forever. And the first step to that was getting him a wand. If he had a wand he wouldn't feel so helpless. I could only hope he wouldn't hex me with it.

I arrived at the unit a lot earlier than I normally did, which seemed a good thing, because Ruth was looking flustered.

"Ronald!" she called when she saw me.

I sighed. "Yes Ruth?"

"Mr. Malfoy is refusing to eat, the food cart ladies have tried to convince him, both last night and this morning, and I don't think he slept at all last night. Go talk to him, I don't want to have to use the potions if I can avoid it."

The potions were sleeping draughts and appetite enhancers, we rarely used them, but sometimes they were necessary.

"I'll go see what I can do." I promised her.

"Thank you Ronald." She smiled.

I made my way to Draco's room and opened the door. His head snapped round to me, tense. Then he relaxed slightly and looked back at the bed.

"If you're waiting for that caviar you won't get it. All they serve here is cereal and bacon and eggs-if you're lucky." I took the chair beside the bed.

He didn't move, but I could have sworn I saw a smile, a brief one, but a smile.

"They tell me you haven't eaten since lunch yesterday, why?"

He shrugged, turning his head back to me, warily.

"You have to eat Draco. You're too thin, even for you." I said, reaching over, pretending I didn't see him flinch, I uncovered the breakfast. "Cereal and bacon and eggs. You're getting the royal treatment. I don't get that, and I work here." I smiled and lifted the fork.

It might work, he had eaten before when I had. "Do you mind?" I asked, gesturing to the plate. He shook his head. I lifted the plate over to me, making as if to start, then stopped. "Come on, you can't leave me to eat by myself like an idiot." I told him, pointing to the cereal. "Besides, if you eat that, and I eat this, then they won't try to force as much on you for lunch."

I wanted to ask why he seemed to need someone else's permission to eat, but I didn't. I could as him after I got him eating regularly again-that is, if he had ever eaten regularly.

He had only finished half the bowel, but I didn't push him to finish it.

"Draco, I need to ask you something."

He blinked owlishly at me and waited.

"When Harry took your wand-" he flinched at the memory. "When he did, did he keep it?"

Draco shook his head.

"What did he do with it?"

"Snapped it and burnt it." He said hoarsely, rubbing one hand as he spoke.

I watched him for a moment. "You tried to get it out of the fire, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"Draco. I was thinking I could take you out for a new wand. I could pick one myself, but it would be better if you were there. You don't have to. I realise you haven't been around many people for a long time…" I trailed off when I realised he was staring at me in shock and surprise, tears in his eyes.

I swallowed, completely knocked off track. "Em… well, yes, and… ahem…" I stopped. He looked away and I found it easier to think, seeing Draco with tears in his eyes was definitely very disconcerting for me. "Anyway I was wondering, did Harry use any of your money for anything?"

He shook his head, still not looking up at me.

"So you still have your own account?"

He nodded, reached inside the hospital robe and pulled out a key on a chain.

That was good, at least there would be no rigmarole over money. And he had more than enough to set himself up with when he was better.

"Good." I nodded, getting up. "You can give me your answer at lunch if you want to go get a wand."

I left him in the room, but as I closed the door I was almost positive I heard a very soft "thank you".

I went to convince Ruth to let me take him out to Diagon Ally tomorrow.

_It's short, I know, I'm sorry. I'm working on it. More to come soon._

_R&R and it will be faster._


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I don't own it._

_Draco gets to go shopping!_

_**The Other Way**_

It didn't take me too long to convince Ruth that I should take Draco out to Diagon Ally to get him a wand; she seemed to think a wand was a good idea. That it would give him some confidence back if he knew he could defend himself.

I let him know over lunch, when I ate half of his food to get him eating. But it wasn't until dinner time had rolled round that I realised we had a problem.

"You need clothes." I told him.

He nodded.

I thought about it, I didn't particularly want to go back to Harry's house to try and find some. "I could find some for you for tomorrow-but I suppose we should buy you some in town."

He nodded again.

"Ok, I'll be back in the morning. Sleep tonight or Ruth will have a fit in the morning." I said, leaving the room and flooing home.

The next morning I had scavenged out some clothes for Draco and taken them into work for him. They didn't fit him, but they were going to have to do until we got him some more.

We flooed to the Leakey Cauldron at around ten. I was hoping there wouldn't be too many people about this early in the morning. Draco was ok, up until we got into Diagon Ally. Then his eyes went wide and his breathing sped up. I hadn't considered what it would be like to go outside after being kept indoors for four years. He had probably developed a case of Agoraphobia.

I took hold of his arm, he didn't flinch away, instead he grabbed my arm tightly. I lead him quickly to Olivanders to get his wand. He relaxed once we got inside, he let go of me, so I dropped his arm. He shuffled away from me slightly.

"Sorry." I whispered. "I didn't realise it would be like that." I sighed.

He looked at me, shock and fear warring in his eyes, but Olivander shuffled out from behind some boxes before I had the chance to ask anything.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?"

"We're looking for a wand." I said, motioning to Draco.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Ash and Dragon Heartstring-excellent for offensive spells. Well, we'll see what we can do for you."

I watched them try fifty wands before one finally r3eacted.

"Ebony, Dragon Heartstring-excellent for defensive spells. An interesting turnaround. Wouldn't you agree Mr. Malfoy?" Olivander asked him.

He nodded and pulled away.

I pulled out a bag of Galleons from my pocket; we had withdrawn it from Draco's bank yesterday afternoon. It was perfectly legal for us to this, so long as we could match up exactly to amount spent to the amount withdrawn.

I paid the thirteen Galleons for the wand (trust him to get the most expensive one) and went to the shop door, looking out. "Will you be ok to cross over to the robe shop?" I asked, turning to look at him.

Draco clutched his new wand like a child would a security blanket. He looked out and nodded slowly, glancing sideways at me. And I wondered why.

"Ok." I smiled and stepped out. He followed, staring round like he expected something to happen. I continued across the street to the robe shop quickly.

Again once we were inside he relaxed. I opened the bag of money I had. "You have about eighty Galleons left-go shop." I handed him the bag.

He accepted it, but didn't move. Finally I turned aside to have a look at the new Quiddich team robes. When I turned back a few minutes later he was browsing the racks with a practiced ease. It was something closer to the Malfoy I remembered, confident, at ease.

I made sure he didn't see me watching, I had the feeling he would revert back to scary, not normal, Draco.

Almost two hours later he had spent the rest of his money on clothes and we went back to the Leakey Cauldron and had lunch, I had some things to ask him, it would probably ruin the whole day, but I had finally realised that it was pure fear on his face every time we stepped outside. It wasn't the mindless panic of an Agoraphobic; it was the fear of someone who expected something bad to happen when he stepped outside.

I waited until we returned to the unit and he had packed away his things before I started, already feeling guilty for causing the pain yet to come.

"Draco." I said, drawing his attention to me. "Back in Diagon Ally-why were you so afraid?"

He froze.

"You don't have to answer." I told him. "But it might help me to help you better."

He stayed motionless for so long I was convinced he wasn't going to answer when he choked out. "I don't like small places."

I was about to prompt him when he continued.

"When I tried to leave Har-he locked me in a little room for a long time. When I was let out I wanted to be outside so badly, but he found out if I did and he put me back in the room. H. he… I didn't want to go back in there… please…"

I saw the flashback coming; his eyes had gone all glassy. He had curled up on the bed. I don't know why, but I went to sit beside him. "Draco, Draco. Its ok, he can't put you back in the room. Draco-"

I was very surprised when he latched onto me, like I was his last lifeline, whispering and pleading "Don't let him put me back in there-please!"

I stroked his back soothingly. So Draco was Claustrophobic and every time he had gone outside he was put in the place he hated most. No wonder he was frightened of going outside, he would probably associate it with small places for a long time to come.

He cried into my shoulder until he fell asleep.

Something connected between us then.

_Whoo, another one up! Read and Review and enjoy._


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: do I really have to go through this on every chapter? I don't own it!

Yes, Draco speaks! Hahahahaha! I love this fic. Oh, and people, you still have a vote. If you don't want Ron/Draco slash say now and I can write two portrayals when it gets to that part. It's not like I'm going to get heavy on it or anything, so it'll just be some different wording. But it's going slashy at some point in the future-not for a long while. But at some point. You have been forewarned.

The Other Way

It was evening when Ruth came into the room. She frowned when she saw us both on the bed, Draco asleep. I detangled myself slowly so as not to wake him and followed her out

"It wasn't what it looked like." I smiled at her expression. "We had a stressful talk this afternoon."

"Yes, well-Oh!" she pulled out the Daily Prophet. "There's an article about Harry Potters incarnation in the Psychiatric ward." She handed it to me.

I opened it and read it quickly. "I knew this would happen. Well, no one's told them why he's there yet. So we're ok for the moment."

"For the moment. But people will wonder. We'll have to prepare a statement. This couldn't have come at a worse time. They'll be hounding at our doors." She sighed.

"Draco isn't up for that. Damn-they'll be after me as well."

"Yes, well that being as it is I was thinking that it would probably be simpler if we moved him into your home. It's unorthodox, but it might be the only way. If it works out you should be able to continue the sessions and stay out of the public eye, and Mr. Malfoy will be in a more peaceful environment. Until all this dies down, then we can move him back here if all goes well. It's the best I can do."

"Fin, fine." I said.

"I will need full reports on how he's doing everyday Ronald, you know the drill."

I nodded. "So when do I move him in?"

"Tomorrow. I have no doubt the reporters will have found out why Mr. Potters here by then. I need to go prepare something to give them when they do." She bustled off.

I made my way back to Malfoy's room, re-0reading the paper. Someone had seen Harry being taken in, by Auror's. So obviously it furled gossip. It wouldn't be long before they knew what was going on. They would bride somebody, then they would be hounding Draco to get a story.

I opened the door to his room, to find him very much awake, watching me. He honestly never slept.

"It seems you'll be moving back to my place again." I said, waving the paper at him.

He didn't answer.

"If I stay in here tonight will you sleep?" I asked.

After a long moment he shrugged slightly.

I settled myself in the chair. "Now go to sleep."

He closed his eyes, but it was a long time before his breathing evened out in sleep. I tried to make myself comfortable, but hospital chairs just aren't made for it.

I woke the next morning with a crick in my neck and I groaned. I opened my eyes when I heard the bed next to me groan in reply. Draco had shot up and moved to the side farthest from me, staring at me, fear lurking in his eyes.

"Hey, hey, calm down, it's just me. You're ok." I said softly.

He relaxed a bit.

I got up and opened the door, yawning and wincing as my neck twinged in protest and peeked out. We only had six other patients in, and they were up and about. It must have been late. I checked my watch. Yes, half ten. I sighed. So much for getting up early and getting out before the news hit the stands.

"Draco, get your things together, we'll need to be out in about half an hour." I said absently when I saw Gerard. "I'll be back in a minute." I stepped out. "Gerard, what's the word today?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Harry Potter in abusive relationship with Deatheaters son." He sighed. "They're making it out like Potter was forced to do what he did. Ruth's issued a statement, but that Barry Baldwin guy is hanging around outside. So you'll have him following you the whole way to the fireplace." He shook his head. "I don't envy you."

"I don't envy me either." I groaned. "Right, I'd better get him sorted to go."

He nodded. "Good luck." He smiled.

I gave him a wave over my shoulder before heading back to Draco's room. He was dressed and had all his stuff in the bags from yesterday, he sat on the edge of the bed.

"You ready?" I asked, surprised, he moved fast.

He nodded slowly.

"Ok. Before we go, there's a guy outside the unit who'll be asking you questions. Don't listen to him, just keep walking and we'll be outta here in no time. Ok?" I said.

He nodded again.

I lifted the bigger of the two bags, he the smaller, his hand in his pocket, clutching his wand I guessed. I took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing."

We left his room, then the unit and immediately Barry Baldwin was there. Draco edged closer to me away from him.

"Mr. Weasely, is this Mr. Malfoy? You are Mr. Potter's close friend, is it not a bit unusual to be helping the one responsible for putting the slayer of the dark Lord in a psychiatric ward? Mr. Malfoy, is it true that it was your use of the dark arts that drove Mr. Potter to the use of violence?"

Draco was shaking, the reporter kept coming too close to him. I had heard about Baldwin, he was always accusing someone of practicing the dark arts. He had tried to get Headmaster Snape removed from his post because he had taught Potions in the dungeons, and unit had had an evil influence on the children.

We reached the fireplace very quickly, Baldwin still shooting off statements, each more ludicrous than the last. When I had ushered Draco into the fireplace I turned to the reporter with a sneer.

"Get your facts straight before shooting your mouth off."

That stopped him. For a moment. "So does that mean th-0"

He was very abruptly cut off as I dropped the floo powder and mutter our destination.

Yay! Another one done. The next one will come soon. I promise, when I get a chance to type it up.

Review folks and I'll update faster, I promise. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: how many times do I have to tell you-I don't own it, I just play with it and toy with their emotions.

You know, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop-everybody likes this story way too much. Not that that's not really cool and making me awfully happy, but its strange. Anyway. Seeing as you're all clamouring-even if you haven't reviewed it yet, I know you all will when you read it-for the next part I'll give it to you now. I love getting so much done at once, but it means you may have to wait a little while for the next one. So Enjoy it while its here. Ron gets really emotional in this one, but I promise it's not over the top.

The Other Way

If the note on my kitchenette table was any indication, Hermione would be back over tonight to find out what was going on. She was a teacher now, at Hogwarts. Deputy headmistress, according to Snape she was the only one with enough brains for the job, which, coming from him was high praise indeed.

I wasn't surprised she had already been round, and she would probably be here at half three exactly, as soon as classes let out and she could get over. I wasn't looking forward to her visit. Not with what I had to explain.

I made an early lunch, but Draco was too shaken to eat after everything Baldwin had said. He had made it out that it had been Draco's fault that this had happened, that it had nothing to do with Harry's own. Controlling personality.

I didn't like that. He hadn't seen what I had. It defiantly wasn't Draco's fault.

I watched him pick at his food for a while before I spoke. "Draco."

He flinched and looked over at me.

"You look like you're in need of a good long bath or shower, or something to clear your head. We can talk later." I said.

He considered, watching me for a trick before nodding hesitantly.

I had figured it for a long shot, but Draco had always been so vain in school, maybe pampering would make him feel better. At least that's what I figured. And it seemed as if I was right.

I showed him the bathroom and told him to take as long as he wanted. Then I made myself a cup of coffee and sat in the living room and stared at the wall.

I'm not sure how much time had passed before I heard a soft thump of someone landing in the fire grate. I looked over, not so surprised to see Hermione.

She had grown up to be a lot like McGonagall.

"Half three already?" I asked.

"Twelve actually, I have no more classes for the day." She said briskly dusting herself off and coming over to be. "Now what has been going on Ronald? Why is Harry in that ward? It surely has nothing to do with Malfoy, they broke up four years ago for Merlin's sake!" she cried.

"Or so we thought." I grimaced, just thinking about it what I had seen was sickening.

She sat down heavily beside me. "What?"

I blew out a breath. "Ok. Well, it seems that-" and I went on to explain what was wrong with Harry, what I had seen him do to Draco, and a brief outline of what he had done to him from what I had been told.

She heard me out, mouth gaping open. It snapped shut when I finished and I could see the wheels turning in her head. "He's ill then, it all happened because he was ill. He never meant to hurt Malfoy." She declared finally.

I stared at her, flabbergast. "What!"

She turned her stern teacher face to me. "Well from what you've told me it seems to me that he's ill. It was his other personality that took over."

"Hermione!" I burst out. "The other personality didn't really do it-Harry did it! The other personality was how he justified what he did to himself."

"Ronald-he's ill." She cried.

I gaped at her for a second, feeling my anger boil over. "How can someone so smart be so unbelievably stupid! Hermione, Harry's not ill-he's bloody sick is what he his. Anyone who could do what I saw him do is bloody sick. Why did he hide Draco from us? Why did he let us think they had broken up? He's not ill, Hermione, he did it deliberately. Over time, yes, it was that other personality, when he felt guilt he could blame what he was doing on it, he didn't do it, it wasn't his fault, it couldn't be helped. Merlin Hermione, how can you even consider anything other than that?"

"What is wrong with you Ron, why do you want to believe he did it deliberately?"

"Because I saw it Hermione! I saw him hit Draco, victimise him. I've been dealing with the aftermath Hermione and the more I think about it the more I realise it was Harry. Yes, he had problems, lots of them, but to deliberately hide someone away, keep them prisoner for four years. That's something else Hermione. And I'm not going to forgive him as easily as you!" I yelled at her.

Her face went white, then red and she yelled right back. "You're some best friend to him Ron! How do you know it's not just an illness? How do you know?"

"He's a control Freak!" I yelled back. "That's what it said in his file. He was controlling Draco, to make himself feel secure he caused somebody else pain. That's not right. That will never be right, and I never would have expected it from him. But it happened Hermione." I lost my anger suddenly. "He made someone's eyes like Ginny's Hermione, lifeless. He made Draco's eyes cold and lifeless. I can't forgive that Hermione-even if he is my best friend, I can't forgive that."

"Oh Ron." She exclaimed suddenly, softly.

It was only then I realised I was crying. I wiped the tears away quickly and shifted away as she tried to put her arms around me. "Go away Hermione. Please. I just… I want to be alone." I muttered.

She mumbled something quietly. But she left.

Leaving me sitting alone, my coffee spilling out of the fallen mug onto the floor.

Dramatic, huh? I'm getting better at this. Hope you liked.

Review, make me feel loved! 


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I don't own_

_Right folks. The stories going slash. Not for a long while. But that's the direction its heading. If you don't like it don't read it. But I promise it won't be as bad as you're all thinking. I'm not that kind of writer. Anyway, here's the next instalment of The Other Way. Enjoy._

_**The Other Way**_

About an hour later I heard water splashing about as I came back to myself, and I suddenly remembered that Draco was in the bathroom. With a muttered curse I stood up, breaking my mug in the process and heading down to the bathroom. I knocked the door.

"Draco?" I called. "Are you ok?"

The lock slid back and the door opened.

And I stared, Draco had nothing but a towel round his waist, and the effects of his lack of appetite was clearly shown. He wasn't _emaciated_ exactly, but he was getting there. All his ribs were showing, his waist was far too narrow… it was frightening what a set of robes could hide.

He shifted slightly.

I blinked and moved back. "Sorry, go get dressed. I'll make some tea, or coffee, or something…"

He slipped out past me and into the guest room; I had put all his stuff in there before Hermione arrived. I went back to the kitchen, cleaning the mess in the living room as I passed and made a pot of tea. I rummaged for a packet of biscuits and sat them on the table and sat down.

And wondered.

I wondered how things had gotten so screwed up all of a sudden. A week ago everything had been normal, but now… I pulled out Percy's glasses and rubbed my thumbs over them. I had to go visit him today. I never missed a day, the day I missed could be the day he wanted to come back but no one was there.

The other chair scraped softly off the floor as Draco sat. I looked over, dressed he looked better, but now that I had seen how bad he really was I wouldn't forget.

"Help yourself." I offered.

He took a cup and poured some tea and sipped it slowly, watching me. Odd that the one thing I noticed was that his hair was curling as it dried. I had never pictured Draco with curly hair. I must not have been thinking too clearly.

He guessed what I was staring at because he started to pull on a curl in an attempt to straighten it.

I smiled slightly and reached for a biscuit. I supposed I would have to start asking some questions, get him talking. Though it really was a challenge to get him to verbalise anything. Maybe if I looked at it like a game of chess-sometimes you had to give up pieces to get what you wanted, and as much as that scared me I realised that was what I would have to do.

But first I had to get him talking, once he was talking I would be able to get a clearer picture and the game to chess could begin.

"Drac9o?"

He looked at me.

"As much as I know your not going to like this, I have to ask you some questions, ok?"

He looked away and nodded.

I considered my words, I didn't very often, but Draco needed special handling on this. "Ok, first of all, could you tell me why you won't talk?"

Draco's mouth opened, closed, opened again before he spoke in a whisper, putting the cup back on the table as it began to shake. "He didn't like it when I talked."

I nodded, encouragingly, but got nothing more. "Why didn't he?"

He shrugged.

"Draco, I need you to talk to me on this." I said gently. "You don't have to be afraid of him here. You can talk if you want, I'm not going to get angry." I'd have been bloody relieved.

"I… I know that… b… but I've…" he trailed off, took a deep breath before continuing. "I've gotten used to it. I was never allowed to speak, or make a sound or he'd…" he stopped, a look of pain crossing his face.

"What would he do?" I asked quietly.

"U. usually he just hit me… but earlier… before I… he…"

"He what?" I pressed.

"He broke my jaw sometimes!" he said in a rush. "He didn't mean it! Sometimes he just hit me too hard-he healed it after… most of the time…" he shuddered.

"So sometimes he broke it on purpose, to make you keep silent?" I asked, rubbing my jaw, just thinking about it hurt.

He nodded.

"Tell me why you wanted to leave him-what was it like before, did he hit you often? What happened?"

He shook his head. "Not often, just when we fought. When he didn't like where it was heading. I could take that. It wasn't much different to what my parents did when I stepped out of line." He said, with surprising calm, but there was something darker lurking under the surface.

"So what changed? What made you decide to leave him?"

His eyes lost focus as he recalled it. "We had just had another fight, a bad one. He'd hit me a few times, but suddenly he wanted for us to go upstairs and have sex like nothing had happened. I… I didn't want to… I didn't want to just act like it hadn't happened. I… I didn't want to. So I told him so. H... he got angry, started yelling again. H. he d. dragged me upstairs a... and he… he…" he swallowed. "I didn't want to… but he made me. After that I didn't want to stay anymore. I wanted out… but…" he trailed off, brushing a hand over his eyes.

Anger burned in me. I could fill in the blanks easily enough.

"I shouldn't have stayed… but when he took my wand… I…I…" he broke into quiet sobs, and my heart constricted slightly as I realised he blamed himself for not leaving.

My anger receded a little.

"It wasn't your fault Draco. When he took your wand he made you feel helpless, like you couldn't leave. It wasn't your fault." I soothed.

He didn't answer, just kept crying softly.

_Ok, there you are. I'll update again soon, I promise. I'm bringing Harry back in next chapter. I'm sorry its so short, I'll work on that. I hate the idea that the story may be bitty. Ok. _

_Love ya'll and review!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story._

_Thank you reviewers. I am really sorry about the short chapters-they might get longer someday. Anyway. Enjoy the story, ok. Harry makes an appearance in this one. Hope you like._

_**The Other Way**_

For three days I didn't question him about Harry or what had happened, but I did keep making him talk. He got more comfortable around me, but unless I pushed him to answer he wouldn't. It was difficult to come up with questions he couldn't nod, shake his head or shrug to.

But at least he answered me; if he nodded or shrugged it was more of a reflex. I realised that you couldn't shake off four years worth of silence, but we were making progress.

On the third day I noticed that I needed food. I hadn't bought enough for two people the last time I had, not expecting to have Draco living with me, not that Draco ate enough for one person. But the food was gone at any rate.

"I need to go shopping." I said, closing the cupboard door. I looked over to where Draco had curled up on the chair, reading one of my few spell books, brushing up on his magic. "Will you be ok here or do you want to come along?" I always tried to give him a choice, it was the only way I could see that he would regain confidence, if he got to take some control over what he did.

He looked over at me, I could almost hear his thoughts ranging from _'its ok, I'm safe here'_ to _'if I say the wrong thing he'll send me back to Harry!'_ before he finally shrugged. "I'm ok."

I nodded. "Ok, I should be back in an hour or two." I went to the fireplace and flooed to Diagon Ally.

I did my usual quick round of the shop, grabbing random foodstuffs off the shelves. I would eat anything, and Draco didn't really seem bothered so I didn't suppose he minded. I had the shopping done in less than half an hour, but I didn't intend toy go home yet. I still needed to visit Percy.

I had visited on the previous days when I was taking my reports in to Ruth. I never took Draco, 1, because Baldwin was still hanging around waiting, and 2, because I never took anyone with me when I visited Percy, it was too personal. I flooed to St. Mungo's and went to the incurable ward.

I rambled on for a while to his comatose form, but it made me feel better to talk to him, I had no one else to talk to about hoe pear-shaped it all was.

The Daily Prophet had printed some bullshit story about how Draco and I had been secret lovers and had plotted together to get Harry thrown into psychiatric care. If Baldwin put as much effort into actually finding the truth as he did in making up these stories the world would have been a better place.

I left Percy and headed down towards the Unit, I still had another report to drop off. But I got sidetracked when I passed the Psychiatric ward. I paused, unsure. I wanted to see how Harry was doing, but I didn't want to see him-I would probably punch him if I did.

I hesitated a moment too long and I went in. the admissions desk was empty so I just made my way on down to the fourth room on the right. And stopped. My hand hovering over the door handle.

Finally I pushed the door open to see Harry sitting on the bed, flicking through a Quddich book. He looked up and smiled at me, like nothing was wrong. "Hey Ron! What took you so long to come visit me?"

I licked my suddenly very dry lips. "Work." I told him. "So how are you?"

His smile faded. "They have me on medication, to keep the other one away. They've explained bits to me-that I… it… what it did to Draco."

I watched him carefully. "Yeah?" I asked

He looked over at me, eyes wide. "What? Ron, you hardly think that _I_ would do something like that. Come on Ron, I would _never_-"

"That's what I thought Harry. Then I saw you do it. So excuse me if I'm still a bit sceptical over the whole matter." I said, quelling my anger with an effort.

He stared at me for a long time. "I want to apologise. To him. I want to see him Ron."

I couldn't believe it-what the hell did he think he was doing? "I don't think so Harry." I blurted out.

His eyes flashed for a moment, and I half expected him to try and hex me or something. He didn't. He looked at the floor, letting the book fall onto the bed. "I never meant to hurt him Ron. It just happened sometimes, like when we argued and I couldn't keep my frustration in. but it went away-or at least I thought it did. I never remembered hurting him. The doctors say it's not unusual not to remember what your other side does."

I stared at him. It just didn't ring true-to some part of me it just didn't sound right. Maybe I was being overly paranoid or sceptical about this, but I didn't believe a word of it. Sure that look in Harry's eyes those two times-I had been so sure it wasn't him-but it was, just not a side I had ever seen.

"I love him Ron." He said.

I pulled myself back from my thoughts to focus on his words. I choked back a bitter laugh, turning it into a cough. He looked at me, and his eyes flashed again.

"I do Ron. I love him. Since before. I've always loved him."

I shook my head. "Hurting someone the way you hurt him, that isn't love Harry." I turned to leave the room.

His voice stopped me just as I was closing the door.

"Please Ron, I need to see him. I need to tell him."

I glanced back at his pleading eyes.

I didn't know what to answer, so I didn't. I just closed the door and left the ward.

I hesitated for a moment outside, I needed some calm before I went home to face Draco, there was only one place I could find it. With Percy. But I needed to talk to Ruth about this. So I made my way to the unit.

Her reaction was everything I expected it to be. "This is ridicules! There is no way he is seeing Mr. Malfoy!" she scowled. She was always so protective over our patients.

I nodded my agreement. "I know, but what I want to know is should I tell Draco about the request. He has a right to know, doesn't he?" it came out as more of a question. I hated feeling this unsure, but lately that was all I was feeling.

"I leave that up to You Ronald. He should know, yes, but you chose the when." She sighed.

I smiled, but it was strained. "Thanks Ruth." I got up to go, but stopped. "Ruth?" I asked, turning back. "Do you think it's true? Do you really think that this was all the fault of this _'other side'_ of him?"

She shrugged helplessly. "Personally, no, I don't believe that there is _'another side'_ to anybody. It's all there, just some parts they keep hidden better. But we have to go with the psychiatrists on this. I can't go against their word. Just be careful Ronald." She said gently.

I smiled again. "Yeah, thanks Ruth."

I made my way back to the fire, glad that Baldwin had decided to take the day off from hounding the place. Mulling over what to do. It was a hard one to call. I sighed as I dropped the floo powder to go home.

_There. How's that? (sorry my spellings so bad)_

_Review everybody!_


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter, because if I did he would probably have been killed off in the second book-but go figure._

_Thank you for your reviews, and thanks for all the stuff you were saying-firstly, I know absolutely nothing about newspapers, but now I'm kinda glad I didn't write Baldwin in the last chapter, thanks, I can work on that. And don't worry about the whole Ron's career thing, I've got it covered. And finally, would I really be so evil to Draco as to let Ron tell him Harry wants to see him-but he does have the right to know, but Ron ain't gonna tell him yet, not till he's better. And finally, this one, on request, is from Draco's POV._

_I'm really sorry if I mess this up, I'm stumbling blindly in the dark through most of this story and hoping its right, so any and all help is appreciated. Keep it coming, especially that stuff on the law and that, I know practically nothing about that, and it's always good to know._

_**The Other Way**_

When he left I got restless, it wasn't over what I could do, I wasn't bored, it was over what I couldn't do. So far he hadn't put any restrictions on what I could do, if he was there anyway, and I wasn't about to do anything while he was away-what if he came back and… and there's the thing, he hasn't done anything, which surprises me. After four years-at least he tells me it's been four years, it feels like longer, I feel like I've aged a hundred…

But after living with… with _him_, I guess I just expect it, it got to be so routine, so… I don't want to think about it, I hate thinking about it, I can't think about it. It'll drive me crazy. I know it's driving him crazy that I won't talk to him, but he hasn't done anything… I think I'm testing him, seeing how far I can push his patience. I've always been like that, with my parents, with school, with… with him, only now I'm doing it for a different reason.

After all, he is _his_ best friend; he always has been, even if he did take me away from it… I don't know if I can trust him, I need to know I can trust him. I know him-maybe not all that well, but I do know him, I recognise him, and I need something I know. Something familiar, something from _before_.

_Got to stop thinking about it need to stop thinking about it it'll drive you crazy if you keep thinking about it it's over now it won't happen again your safe he wouldn't send you back he couldn't send you back… but he did hate you in school… maybe if you… if he… he might send you back… can't go back can't take it again can't can't can't can't he'll kill me this time for sure he'll kill me I can't go back…._

I had my head in my hands, I hate when the thoughts won't stop, when they just keep talking, I can't control them, I can't control anything… I've never controlled anything; even before all this started I was never in control. I needed to do something-anything, get away from the thoughts make them stop…

But what?

What if I did something and he didn't want me to? What would he do? He wouldn't hit me? He did once I remember when he first heard we were going out, he punched me… but that was before… before… he wouldn't do it again… would he? I mean he had changed… I'm not sure how, but he didn't seem to be the same person I knew him as. _But maybe all he needed was an excuse_.

I was frozen to the spot by that one. That's all it had been, for the past… forever… all _he_ had needed was an excuse, any excuse… the way I flinched whenever he came near me-I never meant to, he always got angry when I did that, I never meant to… but it was an excuse… the way his eyes lit up when he had an excuse…

_Nonononononononononononononononononononononononononononono! Can't think that, stop thinking that!_

But I couldn't, it was in my head all the time, every noise at night made me jump, you never knew when he was going to find an excuse. I'm not sure if it was just habit or what, but I rarely slept anymore, I hadn't in however long. I needed to do something. I tried reading the book… but I couldn't anymore, I hadn't even been reading it earlier, I had been paying more attention to the sounds from the kitchen, wondering if he was going to get angry and take it out on me.

He hadn't, he'd been calm, controlled… I never knew what to say to him, if I said the wrong thing he might send me back, or do something. The boy I had known in school was never that calm, he was always loud, always yelling, getting angry, usually at me. I just didn't understand why he was suddenly being so nice, so caring…

"You okay?"

I jumped; I hadn't heard him come back, oh shit! I looked at him, shrinking back into the seat.

"Hey, I didn't mean to startle you, but you looked a bit…" he shrugged.

He had those glasses out again, I wanted to ask about them, why they were so important, sometime before he got started with questioning me, but I never did. It might be the wrong question to ask him. Come to think of it, he only every had those glasses out when he looked worried, he had that day after he and Granger had fought. That had sent me back; all that yelling had sent me back-

_Stop thinking about!_

He sat on the sofa, studying me, I hated the feel of his eyes, searching for faults, I had too many, I didn't want anybody to see them. I looked away, it was the only thing I could do. This was his house, his rules, he could stare at me if he wanted, if I couldn't take it, it was my problem. It was always my problem.

"Draco." He said.

Then he waited, he always waited after he said my name, until I couldn't stand it anymore and had to look up at him.

"Draco, could you tell me how you and Harry first met-why you started going out?" he asked softly.

_How we met-why we started going out? Yeah, I can tell you, we met in the leaky Cauldron about a year after school ended and started talking, and laughing about how stupid we had been in school. We met a couple of times, he was always so busy with the war effort-I guess I found it sexy, the whole hero thing… we started going out… the next year? The year after? I can't remember, all I know is he asked me to come to dinner with him. The next thing I know he's asking me to move in with him._ I shrugged. "At the leaky Cauldron." I said hoarsely.

I hated the sound of my voice, after so long not using it, I hated the way it sounded, he was always telling me I shouldn't talk, that there was a reason I shouldn't talk, that he hated the sound of my voice.

"Ok, so you met at the Leaky Cauldron, so who asked who out?" he asked, drawing my attention back.

_He did, he asked me out, and he kept asking me out-I would have been happy with a one night stand-but he kept coming back, and he was good, so I let him, and then he asked me to move in with him, so I did, I don't know why but I did!_ "Him." I answered slowly.

He nodded; I could see he was thinking of the next question, or how to say it. Hated these questions, I hated how they made me think, how they made me feel so… so… so weak, so unbelievably weak. _But you are weak though, you let him keep you there, you let him do what he wanted-you could have stopped it, you know you could have. But you didn't. You are weak._

"When did you start living together then?"

_Can't remember, I can't remember, it was before you knew, before he told you and Granger, I don't know when! _ I shrugged and looked away. "I don't remember." I whispered, glancing at him from the corner of my eye, wondering if he would get angry. Maybe I wanted him to hit me… _maybe you liked what he did, maybe you enjoyed it. Maybe that's why you want him to get angry_. Maybe I was so used to it I needed it.

He was nodding slowly. "Ok. Draco, I know this is a strange sounding question. But I want you tell me honestly. Did you love Harry? Before all this started?"

_Love? Don't talk about love, I don't want to talk about love-he always talked about love, let's talk about something else, like… like… like something else, anything else, not about love. That's what started it all, he kept talking about love. Don'ttalkaboutlovedon'ttalkaboutlove! If you start talking about love…. You'll… he'll…. He always talked about love. I didn't love hi, I never loved him but if I tell you that it'll make you angry, you'll send me back to him because it's my fault all this started it's my fault If I'd just said I loved him back it wouldn't have happened it could have all stopped, but I didn't, I said no I didn't love him he got angry-DON'T TALK ABOUT LOVE!_

"That's what you argued about that night wasn't it, the night all this started." He said.

I flinched, I couldn't help it. I didn't want to think of that night, I couldn't think of that night.

"Draco please, tell me." He said pleadingly.

_We were having dinner, he told me he loved me, I'd been too shocked to even think, he asked me if I loved him back-before I even thought about it I said no. he looked angry, he started asking me why, we started fighting… finally he hit me, I told him that was why I couldn't love him, because he was acting like my parents, everything he didn't like me saying he hit me for. That made him angry, he hit me again, and again, until he stopped being angry. Then he turned round and said we should forget it, go upstairs, have sex like nothing happened. I told him no, I didn't want him to touch me again, that made him angry again… he hit me, I remember banging into the kitchen table, everything going flying, then he dragged me upstairs-_

"Draco, tell me about that conversation, please."

"He told me he loved me…" I chocked out thought my thoughts. "I said I didn't love him-too much like my parents… he got angry…" _he dragged me upstairs, laughing about how he was going to show me how much he loved me, that I would love him so much when he was done. _"Told me he would show me how much he… he l… loved me…. That I would… I would love him afterwards… I didn't… I couldn't…" I buried my head in my hands as the tears overwhelmed me. They did it more often now… I was always crying… he had always hit me for crying…

_I struggled, I tried… but he was the prophesised saviour of the wizarding world, I couldn't get away… he wouldn't let me get away… he hit me again when I tried to pull away, then he was holding me down… I struggled… I tried to get away… I screamed and screamed, but nobody came, nobody cared… and he… he…_

When the arms slipped round me I did the first thing I could think of, I buried my head in his shoulder and I cried, like I had on that night I told him about the room… I cried until the tears wouldn't come anymore, but I still clung to him. Glad he had changed, that he wasn't the little boy from years ago, glad he was willing to help. That he wasn't like _him_.

I don't remember much else of the day after that. I think I fell asleep…

I didn't care. I felt safe in a way I hadn't before, not since the last time he had done this.

_There you go. Hope that's up to par with the rest of it. Anyway, I know it seems a bit weird, or I figure it would seem weird, but I know what its like to have someone asking you questions, and you have a whole answer playing in your head, but you just can't say it out loud in case you piss the other person off, or upset them or something. It's something that happens to me every time I get in an argument with someone. So I know it sounds weird if it doesn't happen with you, but it's a true thing. _

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. And remember to review._


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything-wish I did._

_Sorry for the long delay folks, I had theatre studies and English coursework to do. And I've been focusing a lot on my original stuff as well, so hence the long wait. Because of this, it may take me a while to get back into the characters, so I'm sorry again if they seem a bit off from normal, ok? Well, enjoy anyway._

_**The Other Way**_

I was beginning to wonder if this would become a regular occurrence, it was the second time in under a week, and it startled me, a lot, to realise that I kind of enjoyed it. I liked the way he felt he could cling to me; he wouldn't have fallen asleep if he hadn't felt some kind of safety with me. _This_ was the reason I became part of the Trauma team… well, mostly why, the other part had been because Ruth reminded me so much of my mother-minus all the yelling, usually.

Draco mumbled something and his fingers tightened their grip on my shirt. I sat there, stroking a line down his back, mum had always done that if any of us were upset, it never really made the tears stop, but for me at least, it always let me know she was there for me. I wonder what Draco read into it?

There was a thump in the fire grate, I frowned over and I felt my face going red-I'd forgotten they were stopping over. I would never hear the end of this. There was a loud screech as Pig wheeled his way over, hooting madly.

Draco woke with a start and a half yelp before he shrank away from me, glancing over towards the fire as there was another thump. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" Charlie smiled. I felt Draco flinch at the words. "Hey George, Ron's been keeping a secret."

Draco had pulled further away, practically trying to push his way through the seat and onto the floor behind.

I opened my mouth to tell them to knock it off.

Georges head peeked over Charlie's shoulder, and he smiled his ghost of a mischievous smile. "Really Ron, keeping secrets isn't very nice."

I groaned softly, Draco was starting to shake. Right I had to do some major damage control. "It's ok Draco." I soothed softly, turning to my brothers. "Pack it in guys, until I explain, ok." I pleaded with them silently, hoping my eyes got the message across.

Charlie took a seat on the sofa, pulling George down with him. "Draco? As in Malfoy?" he asked slowly.

"Emm… yeah." I turned to Draco; he was watching my brothers from under his hair. I could see him withdrawing deeper into himself. I nearly wanted to tell them to go away and start drawing him out again. I was going to have to at least explain why he was here; they didn't get the daily Prophet in Romania that I knew of. "Draco?" I asked, and waited until his eyes shifted their focus to me. "Would you mind if I told them a little-"

His eyes went wide.

"No, no, nothing like that Draco. Just a little, like why you're here?" I tried again.

He looked away; I assumed that meant I could. That it meant he had no choice. I sighed. "Draco, if you don't want me to tell I won't." I said.

He still didn't look at me.

I sighed and turned to Charlie and George, from the looks on their faces I knew they had already worked out part of it. "Yeah," I answered their unspoken question. "He's my patient."

"But why is he here? At your house? Shouldn't he be at the unit?" Charlie asked.

"That's a long story, involving some stupid ass with the Daily Prophet…" I didn't want to go into any more detail; not really, I'd lose all the trust I'd gained from him. "Ruth thought it would be better if he stayed here for a while, seeing as the guy was picking on the both of us."

"Why?" Charlie prodded.

"I suggest you find some back issues Charlie, I'm not going to go into it right now, most of what they put in there isn't true, all the crap about Draco and me, but the rest of it's true, mostly." I shrugged, glancing at Draco, he was curled up tightly into a corner of the seat, and it wasn't even a big seat, but he still managed to look tiny.

"Maybe now wasn't such a good time to come visiting then." Charlie said gently.

I smiled. "Not really. I should have sent you an owl, I just… it slipped my mind I guess." I shrugged helplessly, why had I forgotten? Well, the past week had been bloody hectic.

Charlie smiled. "You were busy Ron, maybe we should come back some other time. Send us an owl when you want us back, ok?" he stood up.

George just sat there, staring at Draco, I'm not entirely sure why. But when he got up, instead of going to the fire place where Charlie was waiting he came over to us and leaned down close to Draco's ear and whispered something I couldn't catch, Draco looked up at him, startled. George smiled and went to the fireplace.

I followed them over, giving them a quick hug goodbye.

"Look after yourself Ron and him of course." Charlie said.

"Bye ickle Ronniekins." George smiled, and they disappeared moments later.

I turned back to Draco; he was staring at the fire grate, with that same startled expression on his face. He didn't seem too upset anymore, whatever George had said had done something. "You ok Draco?" I asked.

It took a moment for his eyes to flick over to me, and he nodded.

God I hope he hasn't gone back to not talking; it'd drive me mad trying to get him out of it again. "Want some tea?" I asked.

He bit his lip, like he always did when I asked him something, thinking of the right way to answer. Finally he nodded.

"Ok, I think we both need a nice cup of tea and a relax." I blew out a breath, and went into the kitchen and made tea.

_Right. This chapter was to try and help me get back in the swing, so it has no real bearing on the story, take it as such if it's rubbish ok. Again, sorry for the delay._

_R&R-even if its to criticise, I always like to know how to improve my work._


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I don't own, I'm borrowing, well, the characters anyway, not the situation._

_God I love writing this again-I should be studying for my exams, but writing is so much more fun. Anyway, chapter 15 now up-this is the longest fic I've ever written, so thanks to all my nice reviewers, it's all for you. I would dedicate chapters, but I wouldn't be able to decide who to dedicate them to. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. _

_**The Other Way**_

Draco hadn't withdrawn entirely into himself, I was glad for that, but I guessed he would always withdraw like that around others. He had gone to bed already, leaving me sitting up with a mug of now stone cold tea and a pile of untouched biscuits. Thinking over what he had said earlier, before Charlie and George had come over.

He had never loved Harry, that struck me. When I had known they were going out I had been convinced Draco didn't love Harry. But before today I would have said the only reason he had stuck it to the point he couldn't get out was because he loved Harry. Remembering what Draco had said earlier made my skin crawl.

Just the thought of Harry being like that-he had always been possessive, I had just never paid it much attention. It shouldn't have been surprising to hear just how possessive Harry was, after all, he had grown up with nothing. He'd always been obsessed with anything magical, the invisibility cloak-very possessive, Hedwig… the list went on. So I shouldn't have been surprised that he would obsess and be that possessive over someone like Draco.

I shouldn't have been, but I was.

I sighed, put the biscuits back in the pack, poured my tea down the sink, threw some owl feed into Pig and went to bed. I was exhausted. Tomorrow I would think about everything with a clear head, tonight I was too tired.

I woke the next morning, wondering why there was an absence of bacon smell in the flat. Draco had been cooking every morning so far, I hadn't pressed him as to why, but it was always nice to go into the kitchen and have breakfast ready-made me feel a bit guilty in all honesty that I hadn't stopped him already.

So, the fact that there wasn't any smell of breakfast had me worried. But he had been exhausted, he might have been asleep. I got up, pulled on my robe and went out to the kitchen in search of my daily dose of coffee. To find Draco seated at the table, a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of him, his head in his hands.

"Draco?" I asked. It was today's paper, the brown owl in the cage with Pig told me that.

His head shot up, his eyes frightened before they went back to dull and lifeless. It chilled me to the core.

"Draco…" I pulled the paper across the table so I could read it. Baldwin. That complete ass-what in the hell was this? I read quickly and shock invaded my system. He had interviewed Harry, about his 'illness', about Draco, about how Harry wanted to see him, about my own relationship with Draco before all this-all about how I had disliked him, etc. even that time I'd hit him when Harry told us about them…

I looked at Draco, staring blankly at the tabletop.

"Draco." I said, reaching over.

He flinched away. "Read the end." He said hoarsely, his voice thick with the emotion his face lacked.

I looked back at the paper.

_And all our readers will be glad to know that Mr. Potter, the Slayer of the Dark Lord, will be released from st. Mungo's after this weekend, his healers…_

There was more after that, but I didn't read it. He was being released in three days. I looked back to Draco, he looked so… there wasn't even a word for it. I shivered. "Draco-I-"

"You won't let him… you won't let him see me? Right? Y.. you …" he trailed off, his eyes were pained suddenly, pleading with me.

It shook me, he was trying so hard to hide his emotions, but they kept spilling out. "No Draco, I won't let him see you if you don't want him to."

"But what if he… what if he comes here? He's your… your…" he looked at me helplessly, whispering, nervous.

He had a point. Harry might come here. "He won't come here, but even if he does, he won't be staying. Draco _you_ are my first priority here, any friendship I once had with Harry does not, and will not change that. Ok-you call the shots on this one."

He looked away, biting his lip. "But he's your friend-it wouldn't be right to-"

"He stopped being my friend the second he started doing what he did to you. He and I just never realised it for too long a time." I cut him off. And strangely I realised it was true. We had stopped being friends, because for me, the last four years was a lie, and I think Harry was still living that lie.

I took the seat opposite him, pulling Percy's glasses out of my pocket and rubbing them thoughtfully on the tabletop. I wasn't really aware of Draco watching me, though I suppose he was. So I was startled when he suddenly said, out of the blue-the first real step towards initiating a conversation.

"Those are your brothers glasses aren't they?" he whispered quietly.

I looked over, very surprised, then at the glasses and smiled slightly. "Yeah." I nodded.

"What happened to him?" he asked, his face hidden by the shadows and his hair, but I knew he was watching me, curious.

"He did a very stupid thing." I said softly, tracing the outline of the frame. "He saved my life."

_Okay then. Whatcha think. It's not long I know. But it's all I'm up to at this point. Hey, Draco's getting a little braver isn't he. I wonder what George said to him to inspire such a change? You'll have to stay with me for a while on this, because I know where I want it to go, I'm just not to sure how to get there. Hopefully this won't become a never-ending story._


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I don't own it; I'm just borrowing the characters because I'm too lazy to think of my own._

_I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do this, but hell. I AM GETTING A NOVEL PUBLISHED! I'm not kidding you, I actually am, and I feel everyone should know. One day you may be writing fanfics on my book-how cool would that be. Anyway, chapter 16 is here. I now know exactly where I'm going with this, and when I reach my ending I'll let you decide if there should be a sequel or an epilogue, but it won't be for a while, so it's alright._

_Enjoy._

_**The Other Way**_

"The stupid git saved my life." I repeated, and laughed softly. I glanced across at Draco; he had raised his head and was frowning slightly.

"W… why… didn't you want him to save your life?" he asked quietly, stuttering.

No, I never wanted him to save my life, not at the risk to his own. This was not a question I wanted to answer, but it seemed the game of chess had finally begun in earnest, from then on I just knew he wasn't going to start giving up bits of himself without a fight. It meant he was getting better; he was starting to protect himself. He wouldn't see it like that, I knew he wouldn't. He was trying to find out about me.

It was only fair to give up one of my pieces in return for all of his I'd taken.

I shrugged. "It's not that I don't appreciate what he did, I just didn't want him hurt for me." I sighed.

He fidgeted for a moment. "Is he dead?" he asked.

I shook my head, rubbing my thumbs around the glasses. "No, he's not dead. He's in st. Mungos. He got hit by too many curses, he won't wake up."

I could practically see the curses coming towards me, the last remaining death eaters, under whose leadership no one knew, had attacked the ministry. "It was just bad luck that I happened to be there. I had come by to drop in on Percy, try and drag him away from his work." I laughed, the image of Percy working at his desk, glaring at me for daring to enter his little workroom. "He was always working; we were going to visit Charlie and George the next day, a mini holiday for the weekend. He had to leave some documents down to the store, I went with him. Then the attack came." Black robed wizards and witches invading the ministry, curses and spells flying every which way. "We joined in the fight. I got singled out, by about four or five deatheaters. It all happened so fast I can't even remember, just the flash of Percy suddenly in front of me, and then it was over. No deatheaters, the ministry in a shambles, and Percy on the floor, his glasses all askew." I looked across at Draco.

He was studying the table like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Finally he looked up and I smiled. "Anything else you'd like to know?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Tea? Coffee?" I asked. I would have to talk to Ruth about the whole Harry thing.

Draco shook his head in response to my question.

I turned away from him to make the tea.

"What's it like to have brothers?" he asked in a rush.

I froze, surprised by the question. I knew he had tensed behind me, worried he'd said the wrong thing. "Brothers?" I asked. I frowned. I didn't really know what it would be like to have brother's for an only child. "They're the most annoying things on the planet. But you miss them when they're not here. Little sister's are the same." I sighed softly, yeah; you really missed them when they weren't around.

I turned around to lean on the counter so I could look at him. "What was it like to be an only child, apart from being spoiled?" I asked a friendly smile playing on my lips. "I always wanted to be an only child, getting all the nice toys and stuff, instead of hand-me-downs." I studied him. "But I guess it's lonely."

He nodded slowly.

"Didn't your parents ever want to have another child?" I asked him, some parents just didn't, preferring to spend all their time on their only one, but it couldn't have been too healthy, and Draco's parents didn't seen the type to devote much time to their only son.

He nodded. "They did, father wanted another son, mother wanted a daughter. They only got me." He murmured.

"They didn't spend a lot of time with you as a child did they? That was why you were always so…" I tried vainly to think of a word that wouldn't sound as cruel as all the ones popping into my head.

"Obnoxious?" he supplied quite helpfully.

I coughed lightly to hide a laugh. "Well, yeah, that was why you were always so obnoxious in school, wasn't it?"

He shrugged.

I let the conversation drop; I was not going to start another super emotional talk two days in a row. I could start on that again tomorrow. Right now I had to get in to see Ruth. "Will you be ok here; I need to go to the unit about this. You can come if you want." I asked.

He bit his lip and considered, finally he looked up at me, shyly, a very strange look on Draco Malfoy let me tell you. "Could I take a bath instead?" he asked, looking down and away.

"Sure, if you want to, you can do what you like here Draco, treat it like your own home while you're here." I told him, only then realising I had never thought to tell him he could do almost whatever he wanted-within a certain reason, namely not go into my room and riffle through my stuff, or steal anything. I remember in school he used to steal-I don't know why. I would have to ask him-it probably had something to do with his parents.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

I left him in the kitchen to go get ready to see Ruth. I was at the unit less than half an hour later.

"Ron!" Cassandra cried happily, practically leaping into my chest trying to hug me.

"San, I can't breathe, you have to let go!" I gasped out.

She stepped back meekly and smiled. "Where have you been Ron, I've missed you, and that man you brought in is gone too, is he with you? You missed all the trouble this morning-Ruth stormed out of here in a right temper after reading the paper, it was about Harry Potter."

I immediately looked round for Gerard. I ruffled Cassandra's hair as I spotted him. "I got talk to Gerry San, Ok?" I told her.

"Ok Ron! See you later!" she bounced away merrily.

I made my way over to Gerard; he was sitting lazily at the desk. When he saw me he smiled glumly. "This Harry Potter deal is getting out of hand." He said by way of greeting.

"I know. Did she really storm out?" I asked.

"An hour and a half ago. All I can say is that we're lucky we don't have too many cases at the moment, what with you away, Ruth doing disappearing acts. I'm practically running the ship single handed." He grumbled.

I felt a bit guilty about that. "Sorry Gerry."

He waved me off. "Ah, I'm just complaining Ron. Malfoy' a big case for you-he's your first proper one isn't he- a no talker."

"Yeah."

"I remember my first, made me want to quit when I couldn't get her to talk to me, now she's always over, best friends with my wife you know. It's a lot of work." He smiled. "But it's worth it."

I smiled back. "I've got him talking, kind of. He's not afraid of me now."

"That's a good thing-ah, here's Ruth-returned from your adventures, huh?" he called to her.

Ruth tossed the Daily Prophet onto the desk. "Those goddamned psychologists don't know their mouths from their arses. A week-no, less that a week and they're letting him out, because he's reacting well to the potions-a load of unadulterated shite!"

I blinked at her; I had never heard her curse before. "So I see you don't agree with it either."

"No Ronald I do not!" she snapped. "And shouldn't you be with Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'll get straight back to him, after you tell me what our plan is for this."

She frowned thoughtfully. "Mr. Potter doesn't know _where_ Mr. Malfoy is, so he'll have to stay with you, for the moment. Until I can get this sorted. Everyone is being so obstinate because it's Harry Potter-if it were anyone else-"

"Most specifically an ex-deatheater-" Gerard supplied helpfully.

"They'd be up in arms." Ruth finished.

"Do you remember that case we had… four or five years ago?" Gerard asked. "The one we never got sorted because it was an Auror?"

Ruth nodded.

I remember Gerard telling me about that case. The Auror had taken the child of a deatheater couple and got the information to convict them through very wrong means. He hadn't told me what had happened, but I could guess. It had been a dirty war all round.

"I'm going to head home, let me know of any changes ok." I smiled.

"See you Ron!" Gerard waved.

"You concentrate on getting him better Ronald. I'll sort everything else." Ruth called after me.

"Bye Ron!" Cassandra called from the other side of the hall.

"Bye San!"

I made my way to the nearest fireplace and flooed home, but when I landed I found a very unwelcome surprise.

_Who or what is it folks? Next update won't be till I get at least six reviews for this one. Love you all. The spelling a bit off, and some words might be messed up, my computers playing tricks with me again, so I'm sorry._


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I don't own them._

_To answer all questions, this story will be slash, but it will be light and fluffy so no flames ok. And Ron won't lose his job because of it or anything. You know, I should be studying. Why am I not studying? Anyway, here's chapter 17. We only have 7 or 8 more chapters to go if I've planned it out right, so it will be over soon. But like I said before, you have the choice of an epilogue or a sequel. Yahey. Enjoy folks. _

_**The Other Way**_

"Hermione, em, Hi-what brings you here?" I asked nervously, stepping out of the fireplace, shooting a quick glance to Draco. He was in the chair, his gaze darting between myself and Hermione.

"I came to ask you if you could take Harry in for a while after he's released on Monday-but obviously you can't!" she snapped at me. "What is he doing here?"

"It's a long and complicated story Hermione, drop it." I said after seeing Draco flinch at her harsh tone.

"No Ron, I have all day, so explain."

"He's my patient Hermione, and he's here because of all the crap Baldwin was printing about him. Ok? Does that answer your question?"

"But why you Ron?" she asked. "What the hell is this about? Is this how you get back on Harry? You don't even like him!" she pointed at Draco, who flinched again and looked to me.

"Hermione." I said warningly.

"No Ron! I can understand that your angry at Harry over what happened, but he's sick Ron and your siding against him, when _he_ needs you most-try and explain that Ron." She snapped.

"Hermione stop it." I snapped back.

"Is this still about Ginny Ron?"

Then I snapped, how could she be so bloody stupid. "No Hermione this is not about Ginny! This is about Draco-this is about not letting someone away with doing something like this!" I didn't want to continue this conversation, before I said something I could never take back. "Get out Hermione, come back when you understand."

"Understand? I understand that you're turning you back on your best friend-"

"_Harry Potter is not my friend_!" I roared at her, stabbing my finger in the direction of the fireplace. "Get out of my house! Now!"

"Ron!" she looked completely shocked.

"Out!"

She went.

When she was gone I turned to Draco and collapsed heavily onto the sofa, I was regretting the words already, but she had pushed me to it. Damn. "Sorry about that, are you ok?"

He looked at me, wide eyed, and nodded shakily.

I sighed. "I need to go visit Percy, come on, I'm not leaving you here by yourself after that." I got up, not entirely sure why I was going to bring Draco with me to Percy, it just felt right. Besides, Percy was probably bored only having me as company.

Draco followed me closely and we flooed to the incurable ward and down to Percy's room.

"Hey Perce, I brought Draco, so your not stuck with just me today." I said as cheerfully as I could manage. No reaction. I sighed and waved Draco to a seat. "Draco, meet Percy."

Draco took his seat and looked at Percy, I could see a frown creeping between his eyes, then he realised I was watching and ducked his head. I have t admit, those little frowns gave me a lot of hope, because they were remnants of the old him, and while I didn't really want him to go back to the obnoxious creep he had been in school I wanted him to have his old confidence back, and maybe even the arrogance.

We stayed for a while, I felt a bit stupid talking to Percy with Draco there, but I told him about Charlie and George's visit, the fight with Hermione. I nearly forgot Draco was there he was so silent.

The rest of the day passed in relative peace, with no more sudden arrivals and departures. Damn but this week seemed to have been a lifetime.

_Short, and not so sweet. There you are. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for all your reviews. Not my best chapter, but I am kind of stuck for time. Next update will be whenever._


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything even remotely magical, or any magical characters save Ruth, Gerard and Cassandra, because they're cool. Unfortunately someone else does._

_Here we go my little lovely's. Don't worry, I won't make you wait too long for the next update, I hate waiting for people to update myself. So unless I'm really stuck for time I will try to update as soon as possible. Anyway, do you like the story so far, well now we get to learn a little bit more about our little Draco. I feel so sorry for him and all the evil I've put him through._

_**The Other Way**_

The next day I pulled out an old muggle chess board my father had given me the year I graduated. Since I got it I have to say I preferred it to wizarding chess, this muggle version was less violent ad noisy. But I hadn't played in ages.

I set the box on the kitchen table and waved Draco over. "We are going to play a game." I told him with a smile.

He frowned a little and looked at me; like he wasn't entirely sure he had heard me correctly.

"You know how to play muggle chess?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"Good, now sit down and we'll start."

He sat obediently and waited.

"Ok, the rules are this, for every piece of the opposition's you take you get to ask a question, any question you like, on anything. The opposition, namely me, or you _has _to answer, and in detail or you get to question until you get the answer you want. Agreed?" I asked.

He thought for a moment before nodding slowly.

I smiled again and quickly set out the board, I wasn't expecting much today, it was more a confidence exercise than anything else. If it worked we could do it again. And to play against another person after so long would be good.

The last person I had played against was Percy, and he had been winning.

I sat down. "Right, let's go." I said, and started the game with my knight. Less than five minutes into the game I had taken one of his pawns. I started off with an easy question. "Where did you learn to play muggle chess?" most wizards didn't play it.

"At home, mother and father played sometimes, I used to watch them. Mother didn't like the magical pieces, she said they were rude." He answered quietly.

I nodded. "Your move."

Three moves later I had another of his pieces. "So tell me about your parents, what were they like? Honestly."

Draco shrugged lightly. "My mother never really paid me much attention, unless I annoyed her enough. And father… he was always so disappointed in me."

I considered. "Why? I mean, you always seemed the perfect son to the rest of the world." And it was true, he had always been going on about his father like he was the best son n the world.

"I was always second in class to Granger, always whining… father didn't like me, he just put up with me because I was his only child." He said, his voice dull, a depressed air to it, like he had heard it said one to many times and believed it.

Four moves later he had taken my knight. He puzzled over a question, a safe question, one that wouldn't get him into trouble. It was plain to read on his face. "Emm… what was your favourite lesson in school?" he asked finally, ducking his head.

I had to chuckle at that one. "My favourite class? I would have to say… divinations, it was the easiest class in the world, and listening to Trelawney go on was hilarious. Besides that it really was an interesting subject, I used to read up on it quite a bit-in secret of course." I smiled.

I took one of his pieces a move later. "So what was yours?"

"Care of the magical Creatures." He replied promptly.

"No way!" I interrupted.

He nodded.

"Why? What? Why?" I asked in surprise.

"I liked the creatures, it wasn't the class in minded, it was the teacher. The animals were great." He mumbled.

I let the comment on Hagrid slide. "But what about you and the hippogriff?" I asked.

He hesitated. "I was…" he bit his lip. "Depressed that year… I knew it could kill me if I'd provoke it enough, so I did. I didn't want it to be killed."

"You mean that whole episode was you trying to get yourself killed?" I asked, shocked.

He nodded.

"So, if Hagrid hadn't have stopped Buckbeak you would have been dead?" I asked.

He nodded again.

"Dear sweet Merlin!" I breathed.

He reached forward and moved his bishop.

So the game continued. I kept to the lighter questions; ones I hoped would bring less painful memories to him. It was a good game, he wasn't as practiced, or as confident in what he was doing, but he held his own fairly well. He took my queen, leaving his king wide open for attack.

I looked over to him, waiting for the question.

"Why did you become a…" he frowned, searching for the word.

"Medi-wizard? Social worker? Psychiatrist type thing?" I offered.

He nodded.

I took a deep breath. "Because of my sister Ginny." I told him with a sad smile.

"Why?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"She went through some terrible things at the hands of a man. She killed herself. I couldn't do anything to help her, but I think I can help others like her." I sighed, moving my castle to take his king. "Checkmate."£

He looked at me.

"What's your favourite colour?" I asked, very randomly in some kind of vague attempt to lighten the mood.

He blinked at me for a moment. "White and red." He said after a moment.

I smiled at his confusion and started packing the board away and went to start a late lunch.

_Alrighty, who else thinks I'm going off track, cause I do. Anyway, I think I forgot to mention it up top, but I don't know why Hermione is so off the wall, it's how she came to me, I'm sure there is a reason, and it'll show itself eventually. Oh, as for the hippogriff thing, I have a completely different theory for that one, but it's not in keeping with this story, I may write it eventually. And I love the idea of Care of the Magical Creatures being his favourite class. Oh, and just pretend there's some kind of difference between muggle chess and wizarding chess. I know how to play neither, so I can't really be held accountable. _

_Anyway I hoped you enjoyed it. Things start to heat up from next chapter. Here's a hint, Herm and Ron have a heart to heart over dinner with Harry. Hee hee!_


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: not mine._

_I am so unbelievably sorry about the super long wait you all had, but I'm back now, and it shouldn't be too long before I finish. Now this chapter may be a little slow and off the mark because I'm getting back into Ron's character, but give me a chance, the next one should be more to the style, so bare with me-you will not be disappointed-I promised you a heart to heart, and a heart to heart you will get, and with Harry in the room you just know it will be bad. Oh I'm so happy I'm back writing this, I missed it._

_**The Other Way**_

Dear whoever was listening to my thoughts-why was I even here? I should be at home, trying to make Draco talk to me, not sitting at Hermione's lovely dining room table loaded with equally lovely dishes of lovely food. But here I was. The silence was nearly unbearable, there had been a few strained attempts at the beginning between Hermione and Harry, but it had all kind of faded out.

It was so different from every other meal I could ever remember having with them, there was no friendly atmosphere, everything was so strained. I think it would have been the same had Harry not been there, I still hadn't forgiven Hermione for what she said, and I'm sure she hadn't forgiven me. And Harry, I hadn't looked at him the whole night, had barely spoken to him, I just couldn't, not with what I knew, and he acted like he'd done nothing wrong.

"So, Ron, how's Malfoy?" Hermione asked suddenly, and though she tried so hard to force it out of her tone I could still hear the bitterness. I saw Harry's head turn from the corner of my eye, and he looked at me expectantly. I suddenly wished neither of them knew I was looking after Draco.

"He's fine." I said, stabbing my fork into a carrot, fighting to keep the scowl off my face.

"Did you tell him Ron? What I told you before-what I asked you, did you tell him?" Harry asked, his tone pleading.

I closed my eyes, I wanted to scream at him, tell him that he was a bastard for what he did, that I knew he was lying about everything, to tell him he was no better than voldermort-hell, he was worse than voldermort, not even the dark lord would have stooped so low as to torture his lover-kill them outright, yes, but not torture, hell I had seen it happen, when Professor McGonagall had left his side in the last instance of battle, when she finally saw the error of her ways and left him, or tried to, he hadn't pulled her back and tortured her, he'd killed her, right there on the spot.

It had been a sight and no mistake, no one had ever expected it-but it made sense, in the end it did make sense, after all Professor Mc Gonagall had been the one to screen all the new teachers, no wonder so many bad things kept happening.

I opened my eyes slowly and raised them to look at Harry. "No, I didn't." I said softly.

His eyes flashed, the same way they had when I'd visited him in the ward. "Why not Ron? I need to see him Ron, I-"

I saw Hermione's expression close off, what was her problem with Draco anyway? Is sighed and looked back at my plate, I just didn't want to have this conversation; I just knew it was going to be bad, I just knew it.

"Yes Ron, why didn't you tell Draco Harry wanted to see him?" Hermione asked quietly.

I glanced over at her, she was studiously not looking at either of us, I glanced at Harry then back. And it hit me. "Is that what all this is about?" I asked, completely ignoring the question.

Hermione looked up with a frown.

"What?" Harry said, confused.

I ignored him, focused totally on Hermione. "It all makes sense now Hermione-that's why you won't believe the possibility that he actually did this, oh my god! Why didn't I see it sooner?" I exclaimed, I sagged back and stared at her, it all made such sense now-the way she wouldn't believe Harry capable of it-when they say love is blind they bloody well mean it. The reason she hated the idea of Harry going out with Draco as much as I did, only for a completely different reason.

"What are you talking about Ron?" she demanded, in that shrill angry way of her's.

"About you Hermione, about you and Harry."

She was out of her seat and dragging me out of the room by the arm before I had the chance to react, telling Harry very firmly to stay right where he was, she slammed the door that led to the dining room and spun to face me. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing?" she demanded.

I shook my head; there was little else I could do. "It makes sense now Hermione, all that time in school you spent with me was to get him jealous, but he never noticed, and then when he started dating Draco you hated the idea as much as me, but not for the same reason's. Hermione, do you realise just how dangerous he is." I asked plaintively. Even if I was angry with her, I now understood, and I wasn't about to stand back and let her walk into the same trap as Draco had.

"He's not to blame for that Ron, he's sick. He wouldn't do that to me." She trailed off quietly.

I put my hands on her shoulders, making her look up at me. "'Mione, please, listen to me, if he did it to Draco, who he professes to love, he would do it to you. Please, I couldn't live with myself if I let that happen to you."

"He's sick Ron, he's on medication, he'll get better, it's not his fault it happened-it was probably Malf-"

"Don't you dare Hermione, it is not Draco's fault this happened, it was Harry-Hermione, you know I'm not lying, whether it's another side of him or not, it's still Harry, and it's never going to go away. Please, I don't want to see you get hurt like that, not ever." She was about to protest again, I could see the argument in her eyes. "I know you think you'd be able handle it, find a way to make him stop-but if he started on you Hermione-you love him, you wouldn't want to give up on him, you'd stay, and you'd get hurt even worse-please 'Mione."

"How would you know?" she spat, pulling away from me, the tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. "How do you know? Come on Ron, tell me!"

I tried to keep my temper down, and it worked, mostly. "'Mione, Draco didn't love him, and look what happened to him-it would hardly be any better just because you loved him. Damnit 'Mione, come on, your not stupid, you know what I'm talking about!"

"Well maybe that's what it was all about. Maybe it was because Malfoy didn't love him! You don't know what it could be like for him to be with someone who loved him-you just don't know Ron. Just because you get to play happy families with Draco doesn't give you the right to dictate my life!"

"What?" I asked, stunned. "Happy families? Hermione, he's my patient."

"Oh, really?" she said, her voice gaining in volume. "He's living in your house, and he's you patient? Every time you talk about him it's 'Draco' this and 'Draco' that! When did he stop being just 'Malfoy' to you Ron-or was he always 'Draco'? Is what the _Prophet_ printed true-did you and he plan all this to get Harry locked away so you could be together?"

And that's when I lost it. "Shut up Hermione-you have absolutely no idea what your talking about, so until you do just shut up. All I was trying to was help you out, and you accuse me of having a relationship with Draco? He's my goddamned patient Hermione, yes, he's at my place, but only because people like you believe everything they read. What would they think if they heard the truth about the great Harry Potter? He brutalised and raped someone he claimed to Love for four years Hermione, if you can live with that knowledge and still be friends with him-still love him, still want to be with him, then fine-I just don't want to see you the same was Draco is now-or the same way Ginny was. I couldn't go through with it 'Mione, but if it's what you want, then fine."

I shook my head; there was nothing else I could do. "Goodbye Hermione." I opened the door to the dining room, walked straight through to the living room and to the fireplace.

"Ron?" Harry said. "Where are you going?"

I looked at him for a second-there was nothing I could say to him-nothing that could change anything, so I stepped into the fireplace and went home.

_Well, I don't know where that came from-it wasn't supposed to be quite so volatile, but there you have it, I hope you enjoy. Tell me if I recaptured Ron, I can't go on if I haven't, so let me know real soon. Well at least it's explained why Hermione's so off the wall._

_Yay! I wrote another chapter-sorry again about the wait, the next one will hopefully be up soon, I'm alternating between this and Percy's Pain, so I have to write the next chapter for that one first. Please review and remember I love you all._


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: don't own, I somehow doubt rowling would put Draco through such mental torture._

_Anyway, I'm back, and here's a new chapter-sorry for the wait, I'm a chapter of finishing my other story so I guess I have been neglecting my poor Draco/Ron fic. Ok, for those waiting for slash, you know it won't be graphic, just hints really-but here is where it starts, so enjoy._

_**The Other Way**_

Draco was sitting where I had left him; he had the chess board out on the table, puzzling over a move. I smiled, he was playing chess with himself-even I in my most desperate hour wouldn't do that.

"Draco." I said.

He jumped and looked at me, then at the chess board and back at me and he pulled away. I just barely stopped myself rolling my eyes.

"You can play the game if you want to." I told him, taking the seat opposite and staring at the board. He relaxed slightly, but was still watching me warily. "But it's always easier if you play with another person." I reached out, took the remaining white castle and took his knight, I looked at him and smiled. "You're move."

"Your question." He replied quietly, dropping his eyes to the board.

I nearly laughed, he wanted to know about the dinner, and only the fact that he had taken the complete initiative in this one kept me from stalking off to complain about Hermione in private. I considered a question. "Ok." Now was as good a time as any to have a session. "I remember in school, you used to steal a lot, why was that?"

He was caught completely off guard by that. Finally he shrugged. "I just did, I'm not sure there was a reason behind it?"

"So it wasn't because of your father?" I asked, it had probably been subconscious on his part, to get his parents attention.

He thought about it, actually thought and shook his head. "No, I just did it because I could." He said eventually.

Control then. Why was everything about control lately. Harry wanting to control Draco, Hermione wanting to control how Harry felt about her-even me, to a degree, I wanted to control just what happened between Harry and Draco. It was all about control. The only person among us who deserved to have control over his own life, was the one person who didn't know how to take that control back from us. I nodded. "Your move."

He moved his bishop and took my castle. He chewed his lip for a moment, building up his courage to ask. "What happened at the dinner?" he asked quietly. "You were back early."

"Me and Hermione had a fight." I said. I really didn't want to talk about it. "About Harry."

He flinched slightly at the name and looked warily at the fireplace. He didn't ask me another question to clarify it, I could see he wanted to. He was just so unsure of himself, and I hated it. Right now I would have given anything just to have him start on of those arguments we used to have, the ones that left me spluttering because I just didn't have the wit to think up a decent answer. "She's in love with Harry." I told him softly, barely noticing his look of surprise. "She thinks he's just ill and can get better." I had to laugh at the thought. Maybe he would in about a hundred years.

"You don't believe it! He asked.

"Draco, I saw a lot of things during the war, and it's proved to me that people aren't always who you think they are-Harry's had problems all his life-this isn't something that can just be fixed. What he did to you was just… it wasn't something I ever expected of him-you… I could have seen you do it, but not him. It just makes this so much harder."

He was looking at me, those grey eyes calculating for a second, then he blinked and it was gone, replaced by the look I was now used to, submission.

"But like I said, the war proved to me people aren't who they seem. I was very wrong about you Draco, and for that I'm sorry." Wasn't this just the night for this, I just get back from an argument with Hermione, my ex-best friend is an abusive monster, and I've just admitted to my patient that I thought him capable of doing what Harry had done.

There was something wrong with me. "Maybe we shouldn't play anymore tonight. I'm a little too exhausted. Maybe tomorrow?" I said quietly, getting up.

He nodded and started packing up the chess board.

I was halfway to my room when he sudden asked. "Is that why you helped me? Because of guilt?"

There was none of the old bite he would have used in saying those words six years ago, just a resignation.

I was frozen in place for a moment before I could bring myself to turn. He hadn't even looked up from packing away the chess pieces, his blond hair falling like a curtain to hide his face. "Draco…" I breathed, not really knowing what else to say.

It was guilt, wasn't it, that was this had started as, my guilt over not seeing it while it was happening. But it had changed-somewhere along the line it had changed-around the same time I stopped calling him Malfoy I think. I didn't know what. I just didn't know.

He looked up at me when I said his name, pushing his hair behind his ear. He looked so… so _young_… so different from I remembered him in school-yet right beside that look of resignation, around the edges, was a ring of passion I hadn't seen.

And I was lost.

That's really the only way to describe it. In that moment I was completely lost. I didn't know why I helped him, why I was helping him-all I knew was that it wasn't guilt… not anymore.

So much for Gryffindor courage-I turned and ran, I didn't even give him an answer.

I listened as he finished packing up the chess pieces and shuffled into his room, my thoughts whirling. Needed to talk to Ruth. Having Draco here just wasn't going to work anymore. I had done something no Weasely should ever do.

I had somehow, inexplicably fallen for a…

Malfoy…

Draco…

Oh bloody hell! I was never going to live this down if Charlie and George found out.

_That was… weird… I don't know where it came from. Don't kill me please, it was supposed to turn out more soul searching than this, but I just can't do it! I'm sorry! It's all the good weather, I just can't write convincing Drama when the sun is shining!_


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: don't own, don't sue, not nice to ruin a persons life like that, I'm only having fun._

_Ok, chapter 21. To recap, Ron has started to develop feelings for Draco other than those of doctor patient etc. so what is he going to do? Well, here's what happens, have fun. And don't worry, there will be a confrontation with Harry very soon, in either the next chapter or the one after, I can't decide, depends on how this one goes. I've redone this chapter to slow down the relationship aspect. Go with it, it's better now, I promise. _

_**The Other Way**_

For three days I had ignored it. But now it was in my head I just couldn't get it out. It made a certain kind of sense really. After guilt had come something else. Something I hadn't even considered before. But he was so different from he used to be. Maybe more likable, I don't know, but somehow, somehow, once it had been brought to my attention, I realised that I liked him… as more than a patient, more that a friend.

I'd set out disprove that theory the very next morning of course, been on the lookout for things that could be considered attractive. I mean, I did have my own view of the person of my dreams, and I have to say, a guy was never an option before, not really. Though I had had that crush on Harry for years, but that had disappeared by fifth year. And Draco didn't fit a single bill. He wasn't a woman, he didn't have wavy curly hair (yes, my ideal woman was always loosely based round madam Rosetta-she was a very attractive woman), unless of course you counted after he'd washed it. Then it was curly. He wasn't tall enough… what can I say, he's still short, it can't be helped. He didn't talk-too be expected after what he'd been through, and I did kind of miss him talking, even if it was just to critise.

Ok, ok, so I hadn't disproved anything really. I did like him. In that way. I went through a whole three days of denial-though if I'm completely honest I have to admit, I've been in denial most of my life over this one point. I am most definitely, completely and utterly attracted to Draco Malfoy. Since I was in school. They say you sometimes hate what you really love, and by god did I hate Draco during school. We always fought; I was always the one who got so worked up when he insulted my family.

It explained so much really.

And now that I thought about it, weren't Weasels and Ferrets part of the same kind of species really? Yes, for three days I had been obsessing over this, thinking of every conceivable reason how I couldn't possibly be attracted to him, but no, it all eventually came back to the fact that I did. I'd caught myself looking at him that morning, nothing unusual, I'd looked at him every morning from he came into my home, but on the morning I finally decided to talk to Ruth, I'd been watching him, and noticing all the little things I wouldn't have normally noticed had I not been thinking about it.

And the denial was over, and I knew I had to go talk to Ruth. I had barely spoken to Draco in three days. He wasn't going to get better if I couldn't trust myself to talk to him, not to lust after him. I was in command of myself enough to know that the last thing he needed was someone coming onto him. He was recovering from an abusive relationship, he was too vulnerable, he could fall into some kind of relationship with me because he thought he had to.

I was thinking of this far too much, confusing myself with every passing second. I needed to talk to Ruth, get Draco transferred and everything would be ok. Everything could go back to normal. I could sort my life out again.

I had been standing, trying desperately to think of what to say. The door to the counselling room opened and Ruth came out with one of her patients, she looked surprised to see me, after all, I was in early, when I wasn't even supposed to be in. it almost made me smile, I was never known to be early, stumbling in seconds before I was due to start was more my style. And I would have smiled, had I not been so worried.

"Yes Ronald?" she asked, frowning.

I summoned a tiny smile from somewhere. "Ruth, can we go in there and talk?" I asked quietly.

She studied me for a moment before nodding, telling her patient to go one, then she beckoned me in. I took one of the seats and started fidgeting. "What did you want to talk about Ronald?" she asked when she had shut the door and sat down opposite me.

"Draco." I said, drawing a hand through my hair.

"And what is wrong with Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.

And this was the crux really. There was nothing wrong with Draco besides the obvious. The whole problem lay with me. "Emm… there's nothing really wrong with him… it's more… well, it's more me really." I answered with a lot of difficulty, I suddenly had a very hearty admiration for Draco, having to talk about things he didn't want to but had to.

"Ronald?" she asked. She didn't prod me for an answer, she knew I'd eventually get round to it.

"Well… it's like this. I've started having… well, inappropriate feelings for him." There, I'd said it. Now all I could do was hope she wouldn't kill me on the spot.

"Inappropriate how?" she asked.

I looked at her; there was a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Ruth, this isn't funny!" I complained.

"No, it's not Ronald, but you have to understand, it's hardly unexpected."

I frowned at her. "What?" I asked, suddenly feeling very stupid, was I missing something?

"Mr. Malfoy is your first… I hesitate to say meaningful-but he's your first intensive case. And not only that, you share a house with him. Being in such close quarters with someone, especially one as dependant as Mr. Malfoy is at the moment, it will spark feelings-as inappropriate as they are. But it is to be expected. You're looking after him, talking to him, seeing the real him; you're getting a feeling that you should protect him. It's your subconscious that's making you connect a lot of little things, that's telling you that maybe you want more from him. Am I right Ron?"

I considered, protectiveness I could understand, dependency I could understand, but I had actually dreamt about… well, doing it… with Draco… I knew it wasn't supposed to be like that.

"Do you intend to act on those feelings Ron?" Ruth asked, bringing me back.

"Well… no. but I think maybe he should be moved on-to Gerard or something. He's much better now Ruth, he really doesn't need it to be me."

She smiled at me, reminding me of my mother. "Ronald. You don't trust yourself nearly enough as you should. You have made excellent progress with Mr. Malfoy, and you will continue to do so. You may find that these 'inappropriate' feelings, may simply just disappear once Mr. Malfoy has stopping being so dependant."

"And if they don't?" I asked quietly.

She laughed. "Love has sprung from more disastrous beginnings than these Ronald. If it comes to that, it comes to that; there is little else you can do. But I must ask you to set aside these thoughts, for the sake of Mr. Malfoy."

I cringed at the thought really; the more I tried not to think about it the more it flitted merrily through my brain. But the more I thought about, the more I realised I didn't want to just let him go to someone else, not really. Ruth telling me that I would be staying on the case was a relief. Finally I nodded. "Ok, Ruth. Thanks."

She smiled. "Don't mention it Ronald." She got up. "You're a good man Ron. Trust yourself, and your feelings-sometimes they're all you need to deal with something like this." And on that somewhat confusing note she left me in the counselling room to think.

Later, I went to visit Percy, and told him, the imagined response from him was this "_Ron, stop being an idiot, honestly, I just wonder about you sometimes. At least wait until he gets better before you proposition him."_ That made me laugh to myself for a while.

So by lunchtime I was ready to go home and face him, secure now in what I had to do. I was going to get Draco better, and after that… well, maybe it was best not to think about it right then. Ruth could be right; it might all just go away. But i doubted it, deep inside I doubted it.

I flooed home, he was sitting at the kitchen table, lunch set out. With only a little hesitation I went and sat opposite him. He looked up at me, then away.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered. "About the other night. I shouldn't have asked… I…" he trailed off miserably.

We hadn't spoken, just kind of existed around each other for three days, he'd obviously guessed at the reason I had gone away today, to talk Ruth into moving him. I was glad she'd shot down that idea, seeing that look on his face.

"You had every right to ask Draco." I told him quietly. "You've got nothing to be afraid of here. I shouldn't have just run off like that. I owe you an explanation for that."

He shook his head and looked at me again; there was something I didn't recognise in his eyes, it was something I had never seen there. A small smile quirked the corners of his lips. "It's ok…" he ducked his head again, but it wasn't the usual fearful way I had come to recognise, this was… almost shy…

That stumped me entirely. When had he gone from afraid to shy? And why hadn't I noticed before now? Blinking, I finally lifted the fork set out for me and started to eat. I thought back, but nothing jumped out at me. Finally I had to ask. "You're not afraid of me? Of being here anymore. Why?"

He shrugged lightly, not looking up. "When… when you…" he glanced up, then down again and swallowed, hard. "You chose me over… over Ha… him. Nobodies ever chosen me over anything before… not when it counted."

I didn't speak, I couldn't find the words, but he kept talking, no prompting, nothing.

"You didn't just walk away when you found out." He paused for a second, a flicker of pain going across his face. "You said you'd have expected me to do what he did." Now he looked up, his expression unreadable. "Well, I never expected you… of all people… maybe Granger… but not you to help me. I guess I realised it these last few days, when I thought about it…"

"We've all changed." I said quietly, softly, hoping not to disturb his thoughts.

He nodded absently and folded his arms on the table top and looked at the food he had put in front of me. As he normally did, he hadn't made himself one. I smiled slightly. "Grab a plate and take some. You always make too much for me anyway."

_Ok, I've redone it. I hope this makes it better. I'm suitably depressed enough at the moment for this. My internets down, I had a crap day in work-I was all tired, I have to work again tomorrow, and all next week. God only knows when this will be up-I'll probably have it finished by the time I'm back online, so yay for you._

_Now that I'm in a suitably dramatic mood, I shall continue. Confrontation next up. Review every chapter folks or I won't love you anymore, and I won't write you another cute Ron/Draco (I have one in mind-this pairing is so cute really, and they really do go together so well) hell. Read the next chapter already!_


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: come on folks. If I owned it the sixth book would have had a slightly better ending._

_I'm real bitter about that sixth book aren't i. rowling had better redeem herself something serious in the seventh book. Snape is just not like that. And Percy was hardly in the book-and why did everyone have to be so mean to the poor boy (I share a special bond with the character of Percy. I have two younger brothers who treat me like all Percy's younger siblings treat him-I'm the black sheep of my family because I'm a compulsive writer and do nothing else unless forced to) ah well. Get on and read about poor Draco now._

_To warn you, there's a kind of split screen thing going on here, you get to hear bits from both Ron and Draco. But you'll know when. Now read!_

_**The Other Way**_

I was still on the emergency call rota, even with looking after Draco. Ruth and Gerard had taken my other cases; I couldn't very well have them on call every night as well. It was my decision, and I stuck with it, I even took some of their nights as well, to kind of make up for it. So when the alarm went off I was out of bed and at the fireplace, pulling on a pair of trousers and stuffing my sleeping shirt down the waist band as I went.

Draco appeared at the door to his room, rubbing his eyes in a very-I really hate to use the word adorable-but he was, he looked about five when he did it.

"I'll be back as soon as I sort out what's happening at the unit." I called to him, and flooed to st. Mungos, leaving him standing at his doorway looking confused. I arrived at the unit seconds later, pushing open the door, my wand out, just in case. But there was no sign of anyone. Frowning I went to the first room and checked inside, empty.

I checked all the rooms-just to make sure, but there was no one there apart from who was supposed to be. Something had to have triggered that alarm. It only went off if there was a human in the ward-whether they were in animagus state or not. It might have been a false alarm, but I had to be sure, so I hit the alarm for Ruth and our Aurors.

I waited nervously, something just didn't feel right, and I didn't like it one bit. Ruth, Judith and Colin were there within minutes, all looking very unhappy, whether with me or the fact that someone was in the unit, I couldn't be sure. I hoped it wasn't at me.

"The alarm went off. Someone was here. I've checked, but I can't find anything, and I don't know the animagus identification charm. Something doesn't feel right." I said before they could speak.

"We're on it." Judith said, moving off in one direction, Colin nodded and moved off in the other. They came back a few minutes later, Ruth was busying herself at the desk, she had checked in all the patients rooms already.

"No animagus in the unit, now anyway-there's a chance they might have snuck out while you were waiting. If they were small enough you might not have seen them." Judith said, frowning, looking round suspiciously.

"Someone used a transportation spell though." Colin said, joining us. "Do you know anyone who knows one? It would explain why you never saw them."

The unit was protected by anti-apparition wards, just to be safe. Hardly anybody knew transportation spells… no one with anyone in the unit. The only person I knew was…

"Harry!" I breathed, horrified. "Draco!" I was out of the unit and in the fireplace a moment later and flooing for home.

_Draco_

When he left I couldn't go back to sleep, so I went into the living room to wait for him. I sat in the seat across from the fireplace. I didn't feel safe enough to sleep unless he was here. Weak, I know. But true. I trusted him to look after me. If he wasn't here then anything could happen.

I knew he was there the second his magic rippled the air across the back of my neck. And I couldn't move_. He was here. He was here he was herehewasherehewasherehewashere_! It's impossible to breathe when your mind gets full like that. _I was going to die, I was going to die._

"Hello Draco." He whispered, leaning down, speaking into my ear.

_Can't breathe! Oh god he's going to kill me, he's going to kill me. Don'ttouchmeplease, just let go, let me go let me go let me go. I don't wanna go with you, I don't I don't idon'tidon't! Please let go… please…_

"Aren't you going to say hello Draco?" he asked, his voice silky. He wants me to disobey.

"He-Hello." I force out.

_Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease…_

"Good. Now, you want to come home with me, don't you?"

_Pleasenopleasenopleasenopleaseno… god please don't let him take me._

His hand tightens round my neck. "Don't you?" he grits out.

_You made him angry, you know you shouldn't make him angry, why'd you make him angry? He's going to kill you now, you know he will. Just say yes, just agree, just tell him what he wants to hear, just tell him. Before he gets more angry. But maybe he doesn't want an answer. What to do what to do. Answer don't answer-will he hurt you worse…_

_Too late._

My cheek burned as he shoved me forward and off the seat angrily and I hit the floor hard. He stalked round and grabbed my arm, twisting it back as he pulled me off the floor. "We're going home, and your going to show me just how sorry you are that this all happened." He spat.

_Oh god no…_

_Ron_

"Draco!" I yelled, stepping out of the fire grate quickly and looking round. And with a sickening thud as my heart dropped ungraciously to my feet I knew he'd been here, and he'd taken Draco. I sagged back against the fireplace and started at the room, my brain working over time. Trying to work it out through the little bursts of 'whys?' and 'how's?' and 'I'm going to kill him when I catch him'.

He had Draco. Where would he go with him? Would he take him home with him? It was somewhere to start. I didn't even think of getting in touch with Ruth, Judith and Colin, just got right back into the fire grate and flooed to Harry's house.

I didn't get far-he'd disconnected it. I slammed back to my own fire grate hard and staggered out dazedly. If you've never tried to floo to a disconnected fireplace, I suggest you try it sometime if you want to lose all your remaining brain cells. I had to get outside my anti-apparition wards, then apparate to Harry's. And then I was going to kill him.

_Draco_

"You love me Draco, don't you? You don't love Ron. Do you?"

_Nononononononononnonononononononononononononononononononononononononononononono nononononononononnonononononononononononononononononononononononononononononono nononononononononnonononononononononononononononononononononononononononononono nononononononononnonononononononononononononononononononononononononononononono_

_Not love please not love._

"You know I love you Draco-you know I do. I've missed you terribly, everyday. I want you back. I promise I'll change. I know I hurt you. But I'll show you just how much I love you. We can go back to how we were, in the beginning. You remember?"

_I remember. I remember that I don't love you, I don't, I don't, I never have and I never will. I hate you I hate you I hate you _"I hate you!"

"You don't mean that Draco! You don't hate me. You love me. You just don't know it yet. But I'll show you. I'll show you just how much you love me!"

_Notagainnotagainnonononono! Please, no, not again._

"Nononononononononononononononopleasepleasepleasepleaseno!"

"I'm going to show you just how much I love you Draco. And once you know you won't ever leave me again, ever. You won't want Ron again. You filthy slut!"

_Ron! Ron will save me, he'll come, he won't let him hurt me again. Please come Ron, please come, please save me please. NO! Not upstairs, not upstairs, notagain notagain please not again. No one hears you scream Draco, no one cares, no one ever saves you you deserve it you know you do no one ever saves you. You scream and scream and scream and scream and no one ever comes. Not upstairs… please…_

**Sobs rent the air with a desperation unheard before by man. Such pain was impossible to measure. The hopelessness was so intense it would have shocked the world to stillness. Had the world been listening. But the world had never listened to the cries of Draco Malfoy, and God never heard his prayers.**

_Ron_

I landed just outside the anti-apparition ward around Harry's place. He was more paranoid than I was, his covered a larger distance. The second I arrived I was running to the house, wishing and hoping I wasn't too late. God only knew what was happening to Draco in there. If it was anything like what Draco had described to me I didn't know what I would do. Between myself and Harry, one of us may not leave this house alive. And as far as I was concerned, if he did anything to Draco he wouldn't be leaving.

I blasted the door off its hinges when I reached it, I knew the silent alarms where alerting the Aurors, but I didn't care, they might arrive in time to save Harry. I didn't care.

"No! Stop it no!"

There was a crash from upstairs, then Draco screamed. It was the most heart wrenching sound I have ever heard. I raced for the stairs, taking them three at a time. The noises led me to the room, I blasted the door off and for a full minute I couldn't move.

It was probably the worst scene I'd ever seen, it even eclipsed seeing Percy take those curses for me, and Ginny's eyes. It was all pushed aside when I saw him, trying to pull away from Harry; his hair snagged in Harry's fingers, his face cut from being dragged, one arm twisted unnaturally in Harry's other hand. His sleeping shirt was ripped up the middle-Harry was blocking anything else, but I could imagine.

His eyes widened when he saw me, his bleeding lips moved to say my name, I could see it, and so, apparently could Harry. Because almost instantly Draco's head snapped to the side and hit off the bedpost and he collapsed back.

That unfroze me, and forgetting my wand, forgetting I was even a wizard, I lunged forward, grabbed a fistful of Harry's hair and jerked him back viciously. There is something to be said for the height difference between us. He fell on the floor, held up only by my hand in his hair. "You bastard." I hissed out through gritted teeth. "You fucking bastard!"

I think that if Draco's sudden movement hadn't distracted me I actually might have killed him. I was on the verge of it. That famous Weasely temper had risen to overload, and I was ready. My fingers were itching to do it. But as I said. Draco moved, and I was distracted. Which gave Harry ample time to twist round and knock me off my feet.

He crawled on top of me, pounding his fists into my chest and face. I didn't even have time to blink at the change in roles.

"You stole him from me! You stole him. He's mine! Not yours!" Harry was screaming.

I eventually got the chance to throw him off and scrambled quickly to my feet, breathing heavily and staring at him in horror. He was looking at me, his eyes wide and glazed. Wild. Then he looked past me. Following his gaze quickly I moved to block his access to Draco. But he was quicker. He dove past me, grabbed the semi conscious Draco by the throat and jerked him off the other side of the bed. Holding him close and scowling at me.

"You can't have him Ron. He's mine."

Draco's grey eyes were amazingly clear, they were wide and frightened, and they pleaded with me to save him. And I wanted to. But just like with Percy, I could do nothing.

Harry summoned his wand and pointed it to Draco's head. And I knew what he meant to do.

"Harry, no. stop it. We can get you help for this. Harry please, let Draco go." I tried to reason, it was the only thing I could do.

Harry laughed. "Help me? You think you can help me Ron? Can you go back in time and make it so that bastard never existed, that my parents are still alive. That Sirius was never in prison-that he wasn't dead-that Remus and Dumbledore… can you make it so I'm not the boy who lived, that I'm not destined to save the world. Can you make it so I'm not a wizard? None of this would have happened if I wasn't a wizard. Everyone I love dies Ron. Draco loves me. Don't you? You love me. And because you love me you have to die, don't you. It's the only way. I was wrong to try and keep you Draco. I'm sorry, but I'll fix it now. It'll all be ok when I fix it." He looked at me, his eyes surprisingly calm.

"Harry!" I breathed. God this went so much deeper than just control. This went beyond everything. "Don't Harry."

"I have to Ron." Harry whispered.

Draco looked at me, I couldn't look at him. I couldn't look at him and know I couldn't save him. God I'd screwed up so badly. "Harry, let him go. This isn't the way to do it. Please Harry."

Harry smiled. "Avada K-"

"Expelliamus!" Someone yelled and Harry's wand went flying out of his hands.

In his surprise he had loosened his grip on Draco, who somehow managed to get away from him, scrambled un-dignantly over the bed and collapsed in my arms, sobbing into my chest, I watched as the group of Aurors swarmed onto Harry.

"Ronald."

I blinked when I heard Ruth; I looked round to find her standing beside me, smiling sadly at Draco. She handed me a robe, which I took one handed, nodding my thanks. I draped it round Draco, pulling back a bit to fasten it at the front. He watched my face the whole time, hands bunching into fists at the front of the robes to hold them closed around him.

"Take him home Ronald." Ruth told me.

I nodded absently, and gently guided Draco out of the room, down the stairs, reconnected the fireplace and we flooed home. I was already making plans to move though.

_Whoa. Intense really. And I hope I have explained successfully why Harry behaves as he does. If all that shit happened to me I'd probably be a little psychotic as well. Was it ok? Review and let me know. Remember you must review all chapters. It doesn't end here people. There's still more. It's a story about healing, we can't end it on an arrest, it defeats the purpose, as dramatic an ending as this would be._


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: don't own-I think I've given enough reason why I should though._

_I've been struck by yet another idea for another story about Draco and Harry-and Sirius and Narcissi. Don't ask, though I will write it at some point, so you'll get to read it. Now, how do you think Draco's going to react to very nearly being killed (I hope he doesn't stop talking again-that would be torture itself, I get as frustrated as Ron does when he can't get Draco to talk. So that emotions real enough) anyway. Read on, and let the love in and the healing begin._

_**The Other Way**_

I sat him on the sofa, he was trembling. I was at a loss. All my anger was gone. It had just vanished; there was no need for it anymore. Right, first things first. I needed to make sure he hadn't stopped talking altogether. That had been a stressful time the first time round, I didn't want to go through it again.

"Draco?" I asked softly, kneeling in front of him.

The robes twitched as his hands did and he looked at me, his face was that horrible splotchy colour people go after they cry, but his eyes were calm. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but he didn't.

"Draco, come on, please talk to me." I pleaded. God I couldn't go through all this again, I was shattered enough as it was.

He just looked at me, and I felt my heart sink again.

"You…" he began, one arm came out of the robe and he rubbed his face, he was frustrated, very frustrated if I read that right. He looked at me, frowning, I could understand. He was trying to make sense of everything. "You came." He said finally.

I nodded. "Of course I came Draco."

"But why?" he asked, his eyes darted round the room, and he shifted nervously before he finally looked back at me. "Why did you come? How did you know? Why for me?"

"Because… just because Draco." I said. There was nothing else I could say.

"Because why? There has to be a reason. There's a reason for everything, so there has to be a reason. Why did you come?" he demanded. Fear had made him hysterical; he wasn't going to stop until I gave him a reason. That much was very obvious.

But I couldn't give him a reason. I didn't have a reason.

"Did you do it because you had to? Was it because of the job? Why. Please Ron, please just tell me." He cut himself off abruptly and sank back, sagging, head dropping. "I can't… I need to know. Please Ron." He looked back up. So uncertain, so dejected I just wanted to pull him into a hug.

Suddenly remembering what Ruth had said I manoeuvred myself onto the sofa and pulled him close. He was quiet, but his sigh told me he didn't know what to do, what to think, how to act. I took a deep breath, letting my fingers stroke through his hair lightly. I still couldn't answer him. I couldn't give him a reason. But right now reasons didn't seem important.

It was only later, after he had fallen asleep I realised that he'd said my name three times.

_Short, yes, I know. But it gets the point across right? Review folks, I love it. There is more. We have to revisit all the characters that appeared in the story so far. The next chapter may be the last. I'm not sure-I've got the idea for an epilogue from Draco. Who knows._


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer: don't own (why do we have to this every chapter?)_

_Ok, here we are. The 24th part of the Other Way. It took us a while to get this far didn't it? You know what I just noticed-the title applies to the fact that Ron swings the Other Way, as well as the fact that there is a complete reversal of roles in everyone. Yeah. I never thought of that when I started this. The Other Way just seemed like a cool name for a story. Right, as I'm making this up off the top of my head I don't know if this is the last chapter or the second last. I think it might be the second last though._

_**The Other Way**_

"Ron!"

My eyes snapped open at the sudden voice in my ear, I blinked and looked round, to find Charlie and George sitting on the chair across from me, both smiling, but concerned. Draco pulled away from me, looking anywhere but at my brothers, holding the robes close to him.

"Em, hi guys?" I made it a question. Why were they there?

"We got the paper this morning-express owl; we've been getting it since you said you were in it. You were on the front page taking Malfoy out of Harry's house. We had to come over. Are you both ok?" Charlie asked.

"Draco?" George asked.

Draco looked over

"Would you show me where Ron keeps his tea stuff? I think we could all use some."

To my astonishment Draco nodded. I had forgotten that George had broken the ice with him. When they had gone into the kitchen I turned to Charlie, who smiled. "I've been trying to get him to tell me what he said to Draco since I got him home. He say's it's a secret." He said.

I glanced back.

"So are you ok Ron?"

"I'm fine Charlie, its Draco I'm worried about." I sighed.

"So am I, but Ron, you can't forget, Harry was your friend, for years. To have this happen-its gotta be hurting you."

I looked up at him with a smile. "Since when did you take over my job?" I asked.

"I'm a big brother Ron, it comes with the territory. Now I'm serious, are you ok? Really." Charlie asked again, his eyes boring into me.

I couldn't lie to him. "I don't know Charlie. It's all so confusing. Harry, Draco-Hermione even!" I sighed. "I don't know what to think. I'm just confused. Right now all I really know is that I'm going to make Draco better, if it kills me, I'm going to."

"Ron. Why don't you and Draco come stay with us for a while? Away from all this hype you'll be able to think clearer. And it might do Draco some good to get out of here." He suggested with a small smile.

It was a good idea, that just goes to show just how tired I really was. "I'd have to clear it with Ruth, but maybe."

"Good-get changed and go clear it with her. We'll stay here with Draco until you get back."

I blinked. He meant now? "Now?" I asked stupidly.

"Of course now!" Charlie grinned, pulling me off the sofa and pushing me towards my bedroom. "George, forget tea for Ron, he's going to the unit to get some time off."

George's head poked out into the hallway. "Why?" he asked.

"He and Draco are coming to stay with us for a while." Charlie said, shoving me into my room. I turned as he shut the door to see Draco standing, confused in the hall, watching us. "Its great being a big brother really." Charlie laughed. "Hurry up Ron!"

I changed quickly and returned warily to the living room. "Ah, took you long enough." George said with a shake of his head. "Get going ickle Ronikins."

Beside him Draco ducked his head; I just knew he was hiding a smile. And it made all the teasing worthwhile. I had never been as glad as I was in that moment that I had older brothers. I smiled in return and went to the fireplace. "I'll be back very soon-don't blow the house up will you." I said.

George muttered something to Draco that made him smile more.

I arrived at St. Mungos seconds later and walked quickly to the unit, slipping past the press, thankfully unnoticed. I quickly made my way behind the desk. Gerard was sitting at it, looking haggard, trying to hide under a pile of papers.

"Gerard, where's Ruth?" I asked.

He looked up at me, and his eyes widened. "Merlin! Ron! Are you ok? Is Malfoy ok? What the hell happened last night?"

"I'm fine, Draco's a lot better than expected. He's with my brothers at the minute. And where's Ruth?" I asked.

"I'm here Ronald. What are you doing here, shouldn't you be with Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, giving me that stern look that made me feel like I was three.

"He's at home with my brothers. He's ok. I'm here to ask can I have a week or two off to go to Romania with my brothers, and can I take Draco with me. I know its short notice, and I know I should be taking back my cases, but…" I trailed off.

Ruth smiled and nodded. "All right Ron. I think you've earned it-and it's not like you'll be leaving all your work here." She smiled. "You'd best head on, I'll take care of the paper work, but I expect you back in exactly two weeks Ronald, no longer."

"Thanks Ruth." I smiled in relief.

"Hey Ruth-can I have a week off?" Gerard asked, and got a thwack with a file for his trouble. "Fine! I was only asking!"

I was nearly at the fireplace when I realised I had to see Percy, I couldn't just disappear for two weeks without seeing him. I changed direction and went up to the incurable ward and to his room.

"Hey Perce." I said, taking the seat beside the bed. "I don't know if you heard, but Harry's been arrested-he probably won't be out for a long time. He kidnapped Draco last night, and tried to… tried to kill him. You know. If the Aurors hadn't arrived when they did I couldn't have saved him, he'd have been added to my long list of people I couldn't save. Just like Harry has." I studied his still features, willing him to wake up. "Just like you are." I took a deep breath. "I'm going away for a while, with Charlie and George, Draco's coming too."

I fell silent. There was so much I needed to say, but it was all jumbled up. "I wish you could come to Percy. I wish you would just wake up-anything. Tell me to stop being stupid. Charlie's tried, but he's not you Percy, he was always there for the twins, like Bill was always there for Ginny. But whether I liked it or not it was always you there for me, wasn't it. Right till the end." I looked at the window, at the sky outside. "Why can't you be here now Percy? Why?"

I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Ron?"

My eyes snapped open and I looked at Percy. He was still lying there, unmoving. But then, it hadn't been Percy's voice. Why did I let myself get my hopes up that he would wake up?

"Ron?"

I looked up and behind me, to find Hermione standing there. "Hey 'Mione." I said tiredly.

"I thought you might be here. Ron…"

"Don't 'Mione, there's nothing to say." I smiled at her. "It's over now anyway." I got up, put an arm round her shoulder and gave her a half hug. "Bye Percy, I'll see you in a week or two ok." And I left the room, left Hermione with those thin tendrils of forgiveness that she needed and headed home to begin my two week vacation in Romania with my two crazy brothers and Draco.

_Yup, wasn't that cute. I just love Charlie and George! I think the adventures of Ron and Draco in Romania is on the cards don't you-lets watch the romance blossom! Yay! Poor Ron… poor Percy… poor Hermione… poor Gerard, that poor mans never going to get any time off work is he?_


	25. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer: you know the drill yadada_

_Right, this is the epilogue. And it's from Draco's pov. I don't know why, it just is. So read it and let me know what you think. I still don't think Gerard ever got that holiday. Poor, poor man. Anyway. Read the final chapter of The Other Way._

_**The Other Way**_

_Two Months later_

**It's been almost two months now, he's making me keep this stupid diary-I don't like it, but if it makes him happy I will. Talking with him is better though. And who is 'him'? Well 'him' is Ron Weasely. My arch nemesis all through school. But I don't think about back then anymore, I can't. It reminds me too much of well, the other 'him' that I don't talk about. Ever. For obvious reasons.**

**And I'll stop now before I babble, which I do a lot. No one would ever take Draco Malfoy for a babbler, would they? No, it's a good cover really. But I only babble when I write, or in my head, it's harder to babble out loud. You could say something wrong and end up… well…**

**Not that Ron would ever touch me, not like that. He's always so… gentle really. That's what most surprised me about him I think. He's changed so much from the little boy I remember from before. He's quieter, less likely to get bad tempered and yell. Which is good, because I don't like yelling-sends me back there-Ron say's its flashbacks, that they'll go away eventually. I'm not so sure. But I can go outside now without getting too freaked out, but only if he's with me, or George.**

**His brothers come over a lot, George especially, he's only like half a person really though. Ron told me about Fred, kind of sad to think really. But I like it when they come over. I've never had a real family before, and they make me feel like I'm part of it. I sometimes go visit Percy with Ron as well. There's been no change in years-he won't recover, but Ron keeps hoping, I can see it in his face.**

**He's promised not to read this, I believe him, which is the only reason I intend to write this-I guess I'm still afraid he'll turn on me. I'm afraid everyone will turn on me. Father did, mother did, Ha-he did. But, he did promise, so.**

**Ron Weasely is really starting to get on my nerves-I swear if he doesn't do something he's going to explode or something. I'm not stupid, I know what he's thinking when he's watching me, I've seen it enough times to know what it means in about sixty different languages. I'm not afraid of it, I've never been afraid of it. I think I realised it before he did really.**

**It's the whole idea of a relationship though-that's what scares me. The only relationship I've ever been in was-that- one. I know they can't all be like that, but I'm not sure I really want to find out. But technically we've been living together for two months, he never asked me to leave, so I never did. I like it here. We moved to a new flat after we got back from Romania, it feels safe here. Even the old flat felt safe, even after 'he'd' been there. Maybe it's just Ron. I don't know.**

_Four months later_

**He asked me if I thought I should find my own place, now that I was better and everything, there was no need to stay here. I don't want to find my own place. I like living here. I've been living here for nearly six months. Maybe he just doesn't want me here anymore. Maybe he never really did. Maybe he's decided he doesn't want me. But I'm positive I read the signs right. The looks haven't stopped; he's still thinking what he was always thinking. I really don't want to leave here. I just don't understand why he wants me to.**

_Two days later_

**I told him I didn't want to leave, took me two days to work up the courage, but I told him. I don't think I've seen anyone look happier about my staying really. Seems he didn't want me to leave after all. I've been doing a lot of thinking, over the past months, about a lot of things. And I think I've decided on something. It might not work. But at least I've decided something for myself for a change.**

**I think I might be ready to try that relationship. I'm better now, Ron says so himself. Even if I don't talk as much as he wants me to. But I don't think I'd feel as safe with anyone else but him. Not really. It might be nice just being friends. But I think I'd prefer it if it was more.**

_Ron_

"Ron." Draco said, distracting me from my book. He sat down beside me, looking as nervous as he had earlier, when he told me he wanted to stay. Maybe he'd changed his mind. Oh god. I hadn't thought of that.

Six months living with him had become routine, it was like… well, I don't know. It wasn't like I ever forgot he was there. It was impossible to forget he was there; the better he got the more demanding he became. And he was such an obsessive cleaner. But it had grown on me. The feelings never disappeared, though I sometimes half hoped they would. And then I'd come home from work to find him sitting in the chair, reading a book, his hair curling round his face, waiting for me. With that little half smile that had been appearing more and more often lately.

I'd asked him if he wanted to leave, it wasn't fair to him to stay here if he didn't want to. I knew that. If he was going to heal completely he would probably have to move out and start his own life. I'd been debating it for weeks. I was jealous of the idea of him leaving and finding someone else. I don't think I trusted anyone to look after him the way he needed to be looked after. Ok-the way I could look after him

"Ron." He repeated.

"Yes?" I asked, somewhat apprehensively.

"All relationships aren't like the one I was in, are they?" he asked, there was something troubling him, he was fidgeting with the sleeve of his shirt. He never did that.

I reached over without thinking, before I caught myself and pulled back, it was getting harder not to touch him lately, now that he had started to come back to himself, and he wasn't so… helpless, I sometimes found myself almost forgetting why he was with me at all, I almost let myself pretend it was because he wanted to be here. But if he was going to say what I thought he was going to say, what he was building up to say-that he didn't want to stay here after all, that he wanted to find his own place and find himself a new relationship. It would break my heart-of that I was very certain.

"No, not all relationships are like what you and Harry had." He still flinches at the name, if only a little.

"How can you be sure? How can you be sure it won't turn out like that?" he asked.

I shrugged. "You can't. It has a lot to do with trust. You have to trust it won't turn out that way. It's never a sure thing."

He frowned at me. "But you'd never do anything like that-would you?" he asked. There was a look in his eyes I could very vaguely recall from our school days, and I didn't like it. I was getting out of my depth here.

"No Draco. I would never do anything like that. I deal with what it does to people everyday, I wouldn't put anyone through that." I said, uncertain. I now had no idea where he was going with this. It did briefly cross my mind that he might have interpreted the way I looked at him correctly, but it was gone just as quickly, overshadowed by my confusion. I say again. I never was the sharpest tool in the shed.

"Good." He said decisively, and with only the barest hint of hesitation he pressed forward and landed the softest, most uncertain, but deliberate kiss to my cheek, and pulled back to look at me shyly through his fringe. He hadn't had his hair cut short; he still needed something to hide behind.

I sat there, staring at him stupidly for nearly a full five minutes.

"Ron?" he asked, biting his lip. "You're not angry, right? This is what you wanted-right?"

That woke me out of my daze. "Is that what i-? Draco! Nononono! I don't want this-you're… Draco!" I spluttered.

He pulled away further, studying me. "You wouldn't be so flustered if you didn't want it." He stated quietly.

He had me there. "Ok, fine. I did want it, I do want it. I just don't want you to do it because you feel you have to."

"I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't wanted to Ron. You've never made me do anything I really didn't want to do." He said

I stared at him in disbelief. "You mean-"

He nodded.

I sagged back and just stared at him for a moment. He watched me for a bit before hesitantly crawling forward and lifting my book (it had fallen to the floor at some point) and handed it to me, sitting very close to me.

"Read it." He said.

I took the book mechanically, my eyes still on him. I'm still not sure how it happened, but at some point his head was resting on my shoulder, my arm round his waist, he was making comments on a picture in the book, and I was laughing.

It was the perfect scene of domesticity, and I should like to think-love.

_Draco's Dairy-later that night_

**I think we can safely say, I won't be needing this anymore. I think I'm more than healed now.**

_Emm, yeah. So it's finished. Though I have managed to think up a cute little story involving these particular characters, and a couple of small rodenty type animals (take a wild guess here-I dare you). Yeah. Well did you like it-did I end it ok? Were you all happy with the ending-if you weren't I don't want to know. Go away!_

_Review please._


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